"Dad, I know how much you love hugs, but I really am having a hard time breathing," Rose said, entrapped in her father's arms.

Ron laughed. "Then how did you manage to get out all of those words? And coherent, too? Besides, it's not like you're even near me. It's in the way."

Rose glanced down at her rather large stomach and saw that yes, it was in the way. She grimaced. Ron was able to speak about it; in limited words, anyways. But she still avoided the topic like the black plague.

"Are we going to hide the Easter eggs now?" asked Victoire, walking into the room. "Claire's fast asleep so it'd probably be best."

Ron chuckled. "You realize, Victoire, that Claire is the only one searching for the eggs, right?"

"What are you talking about, Dad? I'm going to look for them too!" Rose said, laughing. "And so are Al and Lily and James and Dominique and Fred and Louis and Teddy and Roxanne and Molly and Lucy and Hugo. Everybody's going to search. It's a tradition!"

Victoire pouted. "How come you didn't include me in that list?"

"Because you are now hiding them, hah!" Rose stuck her tongue out at Victoire, who stuck out hers in return.

"I'm so glad the people who are going to be, or are, mothers are the ones who are the least mature," Ron said, chuckling.

"Ah, c'mon, it's not like you're any more mature, Uncle Ron," said Victoire.

Ron opened his mouth to argue, but closed it as he realized she had a point.

"What are you all doing up?" Hermione strode into the room. "You all have Easter eggs to find tomorrow morning. You know that if you wait up for the Easter bunny he'll never come. He's like Santa."

Rose, Victoire, and Ron all fell into a fit of giggles.

"Oh for Heavens' sakes just go to sleep so I can hide them!" she shushed them and pushed them all up the stairs at the Burrow.

"Sit this one out with me," Al attempted to coax Rose.

"You can't just sit out of a Weasley Easter egg hunt!" Rose argued.

"But I'm tired," Al whined, pointing to the hideously purple bags under his eyes to prove his point.

"And who's fault is that? You're the one that stayed up all night."

"I was studying! We've got that huge potions essay, and N.E.W.T.S. are coming up! As Head Girl, aren't you supposed to pass with flying colors?"

"So you were really playing Quidditch in the backyard with Uncle Harry, James, and Lily?"

Al sighed in defeat. "Fine, I was playing Quidditch. But my argument would've worked on anyone else."

Rose laughed. "No, it would've worked on Granddad. And possibly Uncle Percy. Only because he would've gone into a lecture about the importance of N.E.W.T.S. and how you should study for them and how to take them and more details that no one wants to know about."

"True. But you're going to do well on them since you have nothing to do but study now."

"Don't remind me, please." Rose sighed and sank onto the bench nearest to them and watched the rest of their family run around searching for colorful Easter eggs. She hated to be reminded of the fact that her career in professional Quidditch had completely disappeared. She couldn't play for Gryffindor anymore and that meant no scouts could come and see her play. But Albus was still shooting for spot as seekerPuddlemere United, which meant that she had to be in the midst of conversations about Quidditch, reminding her of all she'd lost.

"Sorry," Al said. "Any idea where Scorpius is?"

"Nope," Rose responded quickly. She didn't want to discuss this. She might end up spilling that conversation she'd had with her mum about him and that would be bad.

"I thought he was coming here for Easter. He usually does." Lily's latest boyfriend was also missing, but Rose thought it'd be better to slide over that little detail as Al tended to get really older-brother-ish when the topic of his sister and her boyfriends came up.

Rose shrugged. "I haven't talked to him lately. You probably know more than I do."

Al gave his cousin a pointed look. "You haven't talked to him lately? Don't you think it'd be a good idea to?"

Rose put her arms in front of her stomach. "No, I don't." She'd stopped putting the Concealing Charm on her stomach for the weekend and all of a sudden, it had seemed huge. Her family was all staring at it and it was freaking her out. She didn't need to be reminded. Nor did she need Molly and Lucy coming up and exclaiming about the baby and putting their hands on her stomach – which she promptly pushed off. Rose shuddered inwardly. She loved Molly and Lucy, really, but they were a little over the top sometimes.

"Rose," Al sighed. "He's the freaking father. You've got to talk to him sometime."

"Yeah, sometime. As in, not now."

"Rose, you're being stubborn."

"What's your point? I'm usually stubborn. Except when I'm Rose."

"Not funny."

"I thought it was," Lily bounded up behind them and plopped in between them on the bench. "Really, Al, get your sense of humor checked."

Al grumbled and settled farther back in the seat, away from his sister.

"Rose, come on, you have to go help me find Easter eggs," Lily pleaded. "James is finding all of them and it's really embarrassing!" Lily broke out into fake sobs.

Rose laughed. "Nope, I don't think I can."

"Why not?" Lily pouted.

"Because I can't really bend over, for one."

"Oh," Lily frowned. It was obvious she hadn't really thought far ahead. But she didn't usually, so it wasn't very surprising.

"How about you go run along and play with Hugo like a good little girl?" Al asked.

Lily laughed and kissed her brother on the forehead. "Of course, my dearest brother, whatever would I do without you and your wisdom?" She skipped off to join Hugo, immediately making a joke and bursting out into fresh peals of laughter.

"You used to be like that, you know," Al said.

"Like what?"

"You used to be like Lily, I said. You'd always be so happy and cheerful, excited to try anything new. And then fifth year you just became a cynical wretch, and a bit of a scarlet woman. You still had some of your real personality, but you were just unhappy most of the time. Sure, you attempted to pretend like you were happy, but it didn't fool me. Or Scorpius. We were really worried about you, Rose. Still are."

Rose sank farther down on the bench. She didn't want to worry them. But at the same time, she didn't need them worrying about her. "Al, I'm trying, okay? Maybe after it comes I'll go back to normal."

"I think you have to stop referring to it as it before anything will get better. You're going to be a mum in about three months, Rose. You kind of need to accept it before you're popping the baby out."

"Ew, gross image. Thanks for that, Al."

Al laughed. "My pleasure."

"And I am too accepting it."

Al gave Rose a pointed look.

"Ish," she added.

"That's more accurate. Maybe you should accept who the father is, too," Al said.

Rose rolled her eyes. "So you're just doing this to play matchmaker?"

"No. But you and Scorpius do need to settle this once and for all. He's willing, Rose. You need to let him in."

"I don't want him to be willing," she sneered. "I want him to actually want to be a part of it's life."

"Stop referring to the baby as it!"

"Why?"

Al groaned. "Because one day I'm going to tell your kid that you hated them when you were pregnant with them if you keep continuing to call your kid it."

"Well, that's just rude."

Al sighed. "I'm getting nowhere."

"Well, you're sitting down, so I don't see how you could be getting anywhere anyways. Your feet aren't exactly propelling you any place."

"The snappy answers are not needed, Rose. Mostly because there wasn't a question to answer to." Al put his hand over his eyes in a gesture of extreme wariness. It wasn't surprising. He'd been up most of the night and now he was attempting to convince Rose of something, and doing that always took a lot of energy. "Just promise me you'll try, okay?"

"What am I supposed to be trying?" Rose snapped.

"To let Scorpius in, to solve your differences, to accept the baby, to go back to your old self. All of it."

"Will you stop scolding me and yelling at me if I do?"

"Yes."

"Fine, then. I promise."

"Good."

Now all Rose had to do was figure out whether that promise was worth it.

Thank you for all of your reviews! Especially A True Dreamer for all of the reviews you've given me throughout this story!