As Rose entered into her first weeks of life, Ron and Hermione endured their first trials as parents. It was a great exercise for patience and capacity to love.

It took them a little while to transfer Rose to her own room, but once they had she adjusted quite nicely. Ron returned the crib and the rocking chair to the room and Hermione carried Rose in.

"Here's your room, Rose," she whispered, softly pressing her lips to Rose's head.

Ron and Hermione got Rose settled in her crib and they happily watched her fall asleep.

Molly Weasley had forewarned them that they would sleep very little over the next few weeks, and she was quite right. Rose had Ron and Hermione up nearly all hours of the night, crying and crying until she was fed or changed or calmed. Hermione had forced herself to be on her feet to take care of the baby. While this was admirable, Ron secretly felt she wasn't physically able to take on quite as much as she was trying to do.

One night Ron was suddenly jerked out of a deep sleep by the sound of his baby girl crying. He sat up to see Hermione sitting on the foot of their bed and trying to comfort Rose, who was wailing.

"Shh, Rosie…" Hermione was saying desperately. "Shh, it's okay…Mummy's here…Mummy will make it all better…it's okay..."

Rose could not be consoled; Hermione's exhausted eyes filled with tears.

"Oh, please don't cry…"

"Hermione," said Ron, sitting up.

"It's okay," said Hermione, turning toward him and then back toward their crying daughter. "It's okay, go back to sleep...she'll calm down in a moment…"

"Hermione," Ron said again, more firmly. "You're exhausted. You're pushing yourself too hard."

"It's okay…she's just a baby…babies fuss all the time…"

Ron stood up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as they met Hermione's. In that single second he could see how torn she was, how much she wanted to be a good mum and not cave in from exhaustion.

"Give Rose to me," said Ron. "I'll take her."

Rose squirmed and fussed and Hermione seemed to give in. She gave Rose to Ron and sat on the bed with her face in her hands.

Ron walked to Rose's room, holding her and patting her back. "Hush, Rosie…it's okay. It's okay. What's the matter? What's wrong? What's wrong, sweetie? Shh. Shh…it's okay. Your daddy's here. Shh…"

Rose still cried so Ron sat down in the rocking chair next to her crib and rocked her.

"Shh, Rosie…it's okay…it's okay…"

Rose slowly but surely began to calm. Ron couldn't help but smile at how animated she already was; she was moving her legs around as an infant is wont to do, and she was clenching her hands into tiny little fists. She was now whimpering, but with Ron rocking his baby girl and speaking in a gentle, loving voice, she was soon calm. Rose looked up at her dad with her blue eyes. Ron smiled at her; despite how tired he was that cute little face of hers could always make him smile. Rose reached her little hand up toward Ron's finger and gripped it. She had such a strong grip, and it still astounded Ron that a human being could be as tiny as Rose was.

Rose yawned and closed her eyes. She was soon asleep.

Ron put her in her crib and covered her up with her blanket. He kissed her head, murmuring "Goodnight, Rosie."

Ron went back into the bedroom to find Hermione still sitting there, her head in her hands. He sat down beside her and put his arm around her. She looked at him.

"I'm sorry," said Hermione.

"Don't be," said Ron, giving her a squeeze.

"I'm a terrible mum."

"You're a great mum."

Without warning, Hermione burst into tears.

"I've barely slept since she was born," she wept. "How can you tell me I'm a good mum if I'm just going to sit here and complain how exhausted and useless I am? I can't even get my baby girl to stop crying!"

Ron took his sobbing wife into his arms.

"You are a good mum," he said, holding her and stroking her hair. "But Hermione, you need to rest. I'm sure you're still sore from when Rose was born, and that only makes you more tired. You have to sleep. Don't try to do more than you can do."

"But I have a baby to take care of," said Hermione.

"She's my baby too, you know," smiled Ron, leaning his forehead on hers. This got a smile out of her. "You sleep right now, all right? If Rosie wakes up again I'll take care of her. You just need to rest."

Ron tenderly held Hermione in his arms and he lay her down on her side of the bed. He lay down himself and pulled the blanket over both of them. Then he kissed Hermione's head and made to turn over, but she turned him back over and kissed his lips. They did that for a few minutes before going to sleep.

Ron awoke twice more that night before morning to tend to their baby girl. Then in the morning, he got up and made breakfast for Hermione. He intended only to wake her to feed Rose. He would do the rest.

Ron gently shook Hermione awake so she could feed Rose.

"Sweetheart," he said. "Rosie's hungry. Once you feed her you can go back to sleep."

Hermione sat up in bed, looking bedraggled and exhausted but not bitter. She unbuttoned her shirt and let Rose nurse. Rose nursed happily and Hermione couldn't help but smile exhaustedly at her.

When Rose was finished, Ron took her and said gently.

"You can go back to sleep, honey. Rosie's all right, I've got her."

Hermione was so tired she didn't seem to have heard him properly; she just stared at Ron holding Rose. Ron gently touched her cheek and stroked her hair until she fell back asleep. After she had slept for a long time, Hermione seemed to feel a bit better. She did not attempt to push herself too far again.

Rose was growing up before their eyes. Ron and Hermione both watched Rose start eating mashed-up food, start drinking from a bottle, and begin to have a real personality. She was an active youngster who loved playing with and being cuddled by her parents. Her blue eyes became more pronounced, as did her red hair. It was quite beautiful to Hermione to see those parts of Ron coming out in their daughter.

When Rose was three months old, Ron and Hermione got an owl from Harry at about 8:30 at night.

Ron took the letter from the owl at the window and read it, his eyes wide. Ginny was in labor.

He went into the living room, where Hermione was feeding Rose with a bottle.

"Ginny's having the baby," he said.

"That's wonderful!" said Hermione.

"Should we go see them?" asked Ron.

"We can't bring Rose," said Hermione. "I'm about to put her to bed…if you would like to go visit, then you should. They'd be happy to see you."

"I don't want to just leave you both here…" said Ron, looking uncomfortable.

"We're fine," said Hermione. "Really, dear. I can handle her."

Ron smiled. "I'll tell you all about it when I get back."

He kissed Hermione and Rose and left for Harry and Ginny's house.

Ron didn't get to tell Hermione everything right away because he returned at two in the morning. Rose was asleep so he closed the front door quietly and tiptoed to the bedroom. He changed his clothes as silently as he could so as not to wake Hermione, who was also asleep. This went fine until he stubbed his foot on the door and swore loudly.

Hermione stirred and awoke at her husband's voice.

"Ron? That you? How did it go?"

"Ginny's had another son," said Ron. "They named him Albus Severus. Why aren't you asleep?"

"I was," said Hermione. She sounded slightly grumpy.

"I'm sorry, dear. I didn't mean to wake you."

"You certainly meant the language, Ronald Weasley."

"I said I was sorry!"

Suddenly they heard Rose wake up and begin to bawl.

"Your turn," said Hermione, smirking. "I'm going back to bed."

"I know, I know," said Ron, getting up to go to Rose's room. He had a small inkling that there would not be much sleep for him tonight.