Day 21: Cooking/Baking

"Do you need help with that?"

"I am managing perfectly fine on my own, thank you," Hermione retorted as she mixed flour with salt and baking soda, her face set in a deep scowl.

She didn't have to turn around to know Ron's reaction. He would've crossed his arms over his chest, looking offended. "What's got your knickers in a twist?"

"You!" Hermione hissed. "'Why don't we just buy the cake? It'll be easier!'" she added in a rude imitation of him.

She heard him sigh deeply, obviously choosing his words very carefully. "And why did that upset you?" She could hear the longing in his voice; longing to comment sarcastically and start a small row that would last for a short five minutes. This made her angrier.

"Because, Ron, this is Rose's first birthday! We should make it special!" She mixed the dry ingredients so aggressively that flour spilled out.

"Okay, let's calm down," Ron suggested, taking a step forward to put his hand on her arm and halting her murder of the now thoroughly mixed powder. "I get that it's her first birthday and understand how important this is, but will you kindly explain to me why this involves making a cake from scratch."

Hermione huffed and turned to him, her eyes narrow. "It just… it makes it feel more official," she explained, crossing her arms. "And will show that we love our daughter… and that just because there's going to be a new baby we don't love her any less." She turned around and began stirring unnecessarily. "I'm not going to let our daughter stand in the new baby's shadow," she growled, pushing the flour bowl aside and pulling out a larger bowl, beginning to add sugar.

"Of course that won't happen!" Ron groaned, as if it were the most obvious thing he'd ever said. "Why have you gotten it all up in your head that Rose will feel any less important when the he comes along?"

"Because he's already taking over," Hermione said as she cracked a few eggs, having to pick the shell out of the batter because she cracked them too hard. "Everything is already about him. We're looking for boy clothes and painting his room and asking Harry and Ginny for advice. Even on her birthday we have an appointment with the doctor! We have to put a time on her party because of him, and if making this cake will start prove we aren't favoring him, I'm going to do it."

"Hermione, slow down," Ron said. She felt his hands on her shoulders and continued to stir. He pushed the bowl away from her and she glared ahead at the wall, refusing to acknowledge him. "Take a breath." She exhaled snottily. "We're not favoring the new baby over Rose."

"But-"

"No," he said calmly. "We're being cautious, which is the smart thing to do. Remember when we had Rose?" She did. Rose had been four weeks early. While she'd proven to be healthy and could go home after a few days, she had given them both quite a scare. "After what we've both been through, it's only safe to be careful. Of course we're showing him extra attention now. It'll be the same when he's born, but that's because he needs it, not because we favor him. It's not a preference between chocolate and vanilla cake, Hermione, it's two of the same, delicious cakes. And if one cake is still in the oven while the other is already cooling, it's only logical to be watching the one in the oven closer, at least until it's cooled too."

Hermione snorted. "I cannot believe you just made an analogy comparing our children to cake."

Ron rested his hands over her belly, which currently looked more like she had a binge eating problem than a baby bump. "Not just any cake," he said, his fingers sliding against the fabric of her shirt. "Two equally delicious chocolate cakes with raspberry filling and vanilla frosting, decorated with sprinkles and those amazing little sugar candies on top!" Hermione smiled and tried to suppress her laughter, ending up with an awkward giggle instead. "But," he said, serious again, "as bad as we feel about not decorating the first cake quickly, we also need to make sure the second cake doesn't burn."

"I guess you have a point," Hermione admitted, knowing he was smiling behind her back. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, but I would like to make this cake anyway because I can."

"Okay, then," Ron said, releasing her. "But I'm going to help you. You shouldn't put so much stress on yourself, making a cake without any help!"

Hermione laughed as Ron took the sugar bowl and began beating the mixture. "If you insist," she said, adding the butter and vanilla as he stirred. "But don't expect me to let you do all the work."

"Of course not!" he said. "You have a very important job; you can add in the flour while I'm mixing."

She did and, together, they mixed the batter and put it in the cake pan, setting it in the oven to bake for half an hour. "Thank you, Ron," she said, smiling at him. "This is very important to me and I appreciate your help."

"That's what I'm here for," Ron said, kissing her quickly on the cheek. "I mean, at least until the baby's born. Then I'm back to sarcastic comments and smartass jokes."

"I almost miss you," Hermione said with an exaggerated dreamy sigh, her hands unconsciously finding their way to her stomach.

Ron put his hands over hers. "Five more months," he promised. "Then I'll be the most irritating husband in the world."