Chapter 37: Late August – Hugo's Birthday and Rose's Last Week At Home

Hugo's birthday was a day both Ron and Hermione were approaching with some anxiety. They were all doing so well as a family since their time in Mallorca, but facing the first family celebration without his parents and grandparents was a looming deadline. And then with only one week after that before Rose was set to leave for Hogwarts, there was a lot of emotional tension flowing. At breakfast a few days before his birthday, Ron decided to just confront the issue.

"Hugo," Ron said as Hugo tucked into his eggs that morning, "I was wondering what you wanted to do for your birthday?"

Hugo poked at his eggs and didn't look up to catch Ron's eyes.

After trying to wait out the silence, Ron decided to offer some ideas. "I can imagine it will be a hard day. But I think your mummy and daddy would want you to celebrate the fact that you are turning 9. Your mummy was always so excited planning your presents and how to celebrate your special day. I just hope that we can still make it fun for you, even if we are still sad at the same time that they can't be there with us."

Hugo looked up at Ron with fat tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. Ron immediately scooted his chair to Hugo's side and pulled him onto his lap. He simply held him while Hugo shed a few tears and took some deep breaths.

"Sad and happy at the same time, right?" Hugo finally said.

"That's right," agreed Ron. "We can be happy and still miss them terribly. But I think we can't let the sadness keep us from the happiness."

"Well," Hugo said through a steadying deep breath. "I don't want a big party. I think it would be too hard. But maybe we could have Hermione and Rose, Hermione's parents and your parents come to dinner that night?"

"I think that's a bloody brilliant plan," Ron smiled. "I might be biased, but I think my mum makes the best birthday cakes in the world. Should I see if she would make one for you?"

"Do you think it could be a yellow cake with chocolate frosting?"

"Yes. I am 100% sure she could make that. Although if I'm eating it, maybe we should have her make two cakes just to be sure there is enough for everyone else to eat."

"You are just like Mummy," laughed Hugo.

"I'm not that bad!" insisted Ron. "Well, maybe I eat more food in general than your mummy, but she was way worse than I was about the sweets."

"OK, that's true," conceded Hugo.

A few days later, Ron had decorated the house and cleaned every inch he could for the birthday party. On top of the emotionally charged day for Hugo, this would also be the first time his parents had met Hermione's parents, and he was incredibly nervous imagining the five thousand ways it could go spectacularly wrong.

Hugo had decided he wanted pizza and cake for his party, so Ron didn't have anything to cook to keep him busy. Hermione said she would bring a salad, and his mum was bringing the cake. To distract himself, he kept fussing with the streamers until Hermione and Rose finally arrived. Hugo and Rose went off to play as Hermione followed Ron into the kitchen.

"Relax, Ron," Hermione finally said. "You are so tense you look like you could shatter into a million pieces."

"It's a hard enough day for Hugo, and I just want it to go well for all of us. And I know how over the top my parents can be, and especially how much Dad can go off when he's around muggles, and how amazingly normal your parents can be, and well, it's just a recipe for disaster."

Hermione smiled as she watched Ron repeatedly wiping down the already clean counters. She stood behind him and slowly rubbed her hands over his back, standing on her tippy toes to try and rub his shoulders. He kept messing with the counters until she finally moved her hands around his front and rubbed his chest and then started moving her hands down to his waist. He stopped still where he stood, and she continued to move her hands down until he reached for them to stop them from going any lower.

"Hermione, please don't. I really don't want to greet your parents with a stiffy."

"OK. I won't, but you have got to relax."

"Well, as much as I would love to unwind in the ways you have in mind, I really don't think we have time for that before our parents arrive."

"Alright. Then let me try this," she said as she kissed him seductively.

He felt his body melt under her lips and tried to let the tension flow out of him. She pulled back before he became too aroused, and wiped the lipstick from his now swollen lips.

"My parents adore you," she said. "They want me to marry you. And your parents want us to be married as well. Everyone coming tonight is someone Hugo loves and who he specifically asked to have at his birthday party, and Rose adores your parents too. While you describe my parents as normal, I would not use the same description. Each of our parents are unique individuals who love us. Tonight we'll just enjoy them getting to know each other. I promise my dad will be as equally fascinated by the idea of flooing to work as your dad will be about taking the Tube. And our mums will just conspire about how to marry us off. And all that matters will be that Hugo feels loved."

Ron hugged her tightly, resting his chin on her head. He took some deep breaths, inhaling the smell of her shampoo and her perfume. Everything fit. Everything felt right. And he could feel himself calming in her embrace.

"I don't know how I managed to make it through my life without you, Hermione," he said quietly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," she said as they heard the doorbell ring. "Right, here we go," she said with a smile.

The night had indeed been a great success. Most importantly, Hugo had enjoyed the entire evening. He had smiled looking around the table at his newly expanded family. The eight of them had eaten pizza around the dining room table with Arthur muttering things like "remarkable" every time he tried a slice with different toppings. Rose sat between the two grandmothers while Hermione was between Arthur and her dad, leaving Hugo and Ron and the ends of the table. With the main course down, the cake was a smashing success as Molly had charmed it to look like there was a paintbrush painting different edible pictures across the icing. And following a solid rendition of Happy Birthday, Hugo blew out the candles and they all enjoyed the cake.

Following dessert Hugo opened presents from everyone. Ron had found some gifts that Dennis and Fi had previously bought and hidden away. After talking it over with Hermione, they decided to give those to him at the party. They'd both been nervous about it, but it had gone over very well. One had been a fishing rod, and as it turned out Hermione's father had been with his dad and grandfather the day he'd purchased it. Hugo liked hearing the story and was excited to go fishing and try it out. The other gift Ron had found in the closet had been an art set his mum had purchased for him, and he knew Hugo would love it. Ron had gotten him a broom, and Hermione bought him books. He'd received a game, some sweets and a knitted blanket from the grandparents. Hermione hugged him at one point when she noticed him off to the side observing everyone.

"You ok, darling?"

"Yeah. I am. I am happy and sad and all of it at once. But it's a good party, and I am glad we didn't skip it."

"I am really glad to hear that," she said as she hugged him again.

The parents had all gotten along swimmingly as expected, with Arthur and Michael trading magic and muggle stories as they each marveled at the way the other lived. Jean and Molly had, as predicted, retreated to a corner at one point to talk "theoretically" about how weddings worked in each of their worlds. Hugo finally said he was tired of all the grown up talk and asked everyone to play cards at the table together, which turned out to be great fun for everyone. In fact, everyone had such a good time they all lost track of the time. Eventually, Hugo nodded off in Jean's lap in the middle of the card game, which finally prompted the grandparents to all head home.

Ron carried the sleeping Hugo up to his bed and tucked him in while Rose and Hermione finished up the last of the party clean up downstairs. When Ron came back downstairs, he thanked them for all of their help.

"I can't believe that one week from tonight I'll be having my first night at Hogwarts," Rose said wistfully.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Hermione. "I still get you for a whole other week, and I intend to milk every minute of it."

Ron hugged his two witches again, and then they headed home. As he watched them leave, he knew what a tough time Hermione was going to have over the next few weeks, and vowed to help in any way he could.

By Wednesday night, Ron could tell Hermione was trying hard to keep it together in front of her daughter, but he was sure that as soon as Rose left she would crumble. After dinner that evening, Ron and Rose were cleaning up the dishes while Hugo watched the tele in the other room and Hermione was working on laundry.

"Tomorrow night will be fun having your grandparents for dinner for your going away party," Ron said. "Have you asked your mum for any special dish or anything?"

"Well, I did ask my grandmum to bring some of my favorite biscuits so I can take them with me on Friday. But, other than that, no – not really."

"The food at Hogwarts is good. And that dinner the first night was always amazing. More puddings than even I could eat, which is saying something."

Rose put down the dish she was drying and took a deep breath.

"Are you alright, Rose?" Ron asked, gently placing his hand on her back.

She took a few more calming breaths and finally said, "Just really happening, isn't it? In 48 hours or so I will be at Hogwarts and sorted into a house, won't I?"

Ron smiled at her and opened his arms offering a hug. Rose quickly hugged him tightly and didn't let go.

"You are going to have such an incredible time, Rose. You are going to make wonderful friends and just knock stuffy old Hogwarts on its heels."

"What if I am sorted into Slytherin? All of the other Weasleys are all Gryffindor, so they would all hate me. The Slytherins would make fun me of me growing up muggle." she worried frantically.

Ron realized she was counting herself as a Weasley, causing him to hug her tighter. "Rose, you will be sorted into whatever house is best for you. And, it will be wonderful. Slytherin was a little rough twenty years ago, but all of that has changed over the years. Now it is a house where people understand negotiation and business better than anyone. There are arseholes and power hungry people in every house. That certainly isn't exclusive to Slytherin, or to the magical world for that matter. But you are a wonderful witch. You are brilliant and beautiful like your mum, creative and sensitive like Hugo, and confident like your grandparents, and I like to think, witty like me." Rose giggled at this. "I promise you, Rose – whatever house you end up in, you will love it, and you will make lifelong friends."

"You really think so?" she asked hesitantly.

"I know so. And I can honestly see you in any house – you are brave as hell like Gryffindors, smart as a whip like Ravenclaws, kind like Hufflepuffs and you can work a situation to end up like you want it to like a Slytherin. You will do so well."

"Do you think if I end up in another house, Al will still be my friend? Could I eat at the Gryffindor table with him you think?"

"You're that sure Al will be in Gryffindor, huh?"

"Every Weasley has."

"The Sorting Hat is full of surprises, Rose. Just because people are related doesn't mean they will end up together. Many, many twins have been sorted differently."

"Really? But Fred and George weren't."

"No, they were both Gryffindors. But in my year there were twins, Pavarti was in Gryffindor with me and Padma was in Ravenclaw. It worked well – they were still friends, but were able to introduce each other to their new friends in the different houses. And one of my closest friends from school was in Ravenclaw."

"I am sure Al will be a Gryffindor. Makes me kind of wish I was a real Weasley so I could be sure about me too."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, there, Rose. First – I wasn't sure I was going to be Gryffindor when I went. The hat takes each person individually, so really there is no guarantee. But, more importantly, what are you on about? What do you mean about wishing you were a real Weasley?"

"Oh," Rose blushed as she realized what she had said. "Well, I mean, you're sort of like my dad, but then again not. I feel like the Potters are my cousins, but really they aren't family by marriage or blood, are they? And even if you do marry Mum, it's not like I am a genetic Weasley, am I?"

"Rose, love, please don't ever, ever, ever wish you different than who you were born to be. I love you so much exactly as you are. You are absolutely my family, and absolutely part of the Weasley clan - which you can decide later if that is a good or bad thing. But wishing you were a pasty, freckled ginger is not helpful. The Weasley bunch is tough, but all you have to do to be a part of it is be fiercely loyal and loving. Look at Teddy Lupin - he isn't related by, what was the phrase you used? Marriage or blood, was it? But he couldn't be anymore Weasley or my nephew than he is."

"Sorry, Ron. You're right. I shouldn't have said it that way. I do feel part of the family – really, I do. I just – well – over the years I had gotten used to saying I was adopted and that I didn't have a dad. It was different than most, but it was who our family was, so I was comfortable with it and used to explaining it. But, I am just not quite sure how to explain what our family is yet. I haven't had a lot of practice at this. It sounds ridiculous, but I already feel like a fish out of water growing up muggle going off to Hogwarts, having a complicated family to explain just seems like one more thing that makes me different from everyone else when all I want to do is fit in, you know?"

"Rose," Ron said as he bent down to be sure she looked him in the eye as he spoke, "I am sorry to be the one to inform you that you will never blend into a crowd. You will never be someone who, when people think back on you, that will be described as 'oh, Rose Granger, yeah, I knew her. She sort of just blended in, you know? Can't think of anything unique or interesting about that one. But, crikey, she fit in well.'

And it isn't at all because you are adopted and look different than others in your family. And it isn't because you have an unusual or hard to explain family. You are too beautiful, too brilliant, too passionate, too kind, too articulate and too funny to ever be a wall flower no one notices. You will be a leader and a great friend. And you will be an incredibly powerful witch. So, you might as well get used to not just blending in."

Rose hugged him again. "Thanks, Ron. I love you."

"I love you too, Rose. You are going to do so, so well. I just know it."

She nodded in agreement.

"Alright, enough emotional stuff. I'm still a bloke, you know? There is only so much emotional stuff we can handle at one time. Why don't you go find Hugo and humor him by playing a game or something before he's stuck with just boring grownups come Friday."

"Ok," she nodded, and then headed off to play exploding snap with Hugo.

As soon as she left the room, Hermione poked her head around the kitchen door. Ron saw her and could tell she'd overheard the conversation.

"I started to come in, but then I heard you two and didn't want to interrupt."

"I think she's alright."

"I hate that I can't help her with this."

"With what?"

"Boarding school, magic, Hogwarts, all of it. It's certainly not anything I did as a child, so I can't really give her advice or anything."

"Seemed to me most of that wasn't about magic or Hogwarts. Seemed more about not wanting to stick out."

Hermione sighed, setting down her laundry basket on the kitchen counter and didn't say a word. Ron worried he had overstepped. So, he didn't say anything and instead watched Hermione closely. Finally, she turned around to face him, and he saw that her eyes were about to overflow with tears.

"Shit, Hermione, I didn't mean to overstep, and I really didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry."

"No," she sniffed, "you're right. Again. It's getting rather annoying actually. And that's why I am crying. Or at least I think it is. I'm such an emotional basket case right now, I am not sure I really even know."

Ron went over and wrapped his arms around her, which seemed to actually make her cry more.

"Being a mum of a pre-teen girl is hard enough, but then they want us to just put them on a damn train and send them off into the world at eleven. ELEVEN! I don't know what they were thinking when they set up this damn school. I mean, why couldn't they just all floo in every day like you did to work at the ministry? What heartless bastard set it up this way?" she vented as she cried.

"You know, it never even occurred to me to ask that question," muttered Ron.

"I can assure you it was not set up by a mum of an only child," she sniffed.

"I am sure you are right," he said. "But the thing is that everyone who is involved in running it now went there as a child and knows what an incredible experience it is for the kids."

"I know, I know," she grouched. "But I am going to be selfish for a minute. I hate this. And you are right – it is making me lose my mind. Everything you said about Rose wanting to fit in – it's all right. I'm the one losing my mind over her leaving for school, not Rose."

He kissed her forehead. "I'm sensing this isn't the moment to point out the silver linings."

"That would be an excellent observation."

"Ok. Can I help at all?"

She looked up at him and smiled through her tears, "You really don't get it, do you?"

"Apparently not," he said, slightly concerned.

"You are helping, you prat. If you weren't here right now I would be a puddle on the floor. And you're clearly amazing with Rose. We are all leaning on you right now."

He kissed her forehead sweetly. "I love you, you know?"

"I know."

"And all four of us are going to be great. Do you know that too?"

"Yes, I guess I do. But it's still hard."

"My turn to say 'I know' now?"

She smacked him lightly, chuckling at him. "Thank you. I needed a chuckle. And did you know, Mister Smarty Pants, that I have been thinking a lot more about what we talked about in Mallorca?"

He gave her another quizzical look. "We talked about a lot of things in Mallorca. Could you be a little more specific so those less brilliant in the room can keep up with conversation?"

She smiled at him. "I was talking about our living arrangements after Rose leaves."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I haven't made any long term decisions, but I do think I am not going to be able to stay in an empty house. So, at the very least, I'll probably come stay for at least a few days, and I wondered if we could just see how it goes."

"Well, there you go. That's one of those silver linings you wouldn't let me mention."

"You don't think Hugo would freak out?"

"No, I don't," laughed Ron. "He's been on me worse than my mum about proposing to you."

"Really?" she laughed.

"Well, he keeps saying exactly what his mum would have said, which is that I need to hurry up and propose before I bugger things up."

"I don't think you are going to bugger things up, Ron."

"Well, you haven't known me as long as everyone else. I do have a bit of a reputation, you know."

"Hmm. Last time I read articles about your reputation, Mr. Weasley, I was pretty much wrapped up in it. And, sources say, that you are more or less off the market now."

"You shouldn't believe half of what you read in the Daily Prophet, you know? A lot of it is rubbish."

She laughed out loud and hit him with a dish towel. "Yes. Rubbish indeed. They say I'm a muggle. Shows what they know. But, I can say with great confidence, I am not worried about you buggering this up. I am more focused on how much you wind me up instead."

Ron raised one eyebrow at her and gave her a lopsided smile. "Yeah? I wind you up?"

"You have no idea, Ron," she whispered in his ear, slowly taking his ear in her mouth and sucking on it before she quickly picked up her laundry basket and sauntered out of the room.

"Not fair," he groaned after her. She just laughed at him coyly and kept on her way.

Late the next night, Hermione turned on the dishwasher and flicked off the kitchen light. She sighed as she looked around at the clean counters. Dinner had been lovely, with both her parents, Ron and Hugo coming over to celebrate Rose's last night before Hogwarts. The four of them had all gone home now, and Rose was upstairs taking a shower before bed.

Hermione battled her emotions to not become overly maudlin thinking about their last night together. She knew Rose would be back, but she also knew it would never be the same. Once you leave home for the first time – whether at 11 or at 18 – you are never the same when you come home. Adding to that Rose was heading off to join the magical world, and Hermione was likely going to be living with Ron at least part of the time. Well, it was definitely the end of an era.

She headed upstairs to get ready for bed herself, and she was thrilled that when she turned into her room, she found Rose curled up in her bed instead of in her own room.

"Is this ok, Mum?"

"More than ok, Rose. Perfect actually, I would say."

A few minutes later, the two Granger Girls were curled up in Hermione's bed. Hermione turned off the light and turned on her side to face her not so little girl.

"Are you going to be ok when I go, Mum?"

"Of course, Darling. I can't promise not to be a bit teary tomorrow, but I promise you I will be alright. I am so, so excited for you. Please don't be worried about me."

"I don't want to think of you all alone here."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It is just sad."

"Well, I was actually thinking I might go stay with Ron and Hugo a bit, as it seemed rather sad to me too. But I wasn't totally sure what I thought of it, or what you would think of it."

"I think that's a brilliant plan. But will you miss being here at our home?"

"Probably. But, Hugo needs to still be where he can remember his parents best."

"You're not going to sell our house are you?"

"Oh heavens, no! I would never sell our home out from under you. You may be going off to school, Rose, but this is very much still your home."

Rose smiled in relief.

"You already know I think you should marry Ron. Of course, I'd love you to all live here, but it is much more important to me that we all end up together than where we live."

"I know you don't remember our days in the tent, Rose. But, I can assure you, you and I can make a home just about anywhere."

"I know, Mum."

"I can't believe you won't be home 'til Christmas."

"Mum, you already pop up to Hogwarts every few weeks for your own lessons. It's not like I won't see you until December."

"I know. But I want you to be able to be with your new friends and not always have to be the one dragged off to eat with your late-to-find-out-she's-a-witch mum."

"You know I'd never be embarrassed to be your daughter, Mum."

"You are sweet. But even if I wasn't at Hogwarts, I do remember how hard being an eleven year old girl was. I will not drag you away each time. But I will absolutely have to see you at least every now and then. And I have definitely told Neville to let me know if you need anything at all. And I am rather sure Ron has Hagrid keeping an eye out for you as well."

"He's the giant?"

"Half giant apparently, whatever that means, but yes. He's the one. Quite protective of Ron and Harry apparently."

"Ron told me a tiny bit, you know – about the war. I think he left a lot out, but he wanted me to not learn about, well, everything from someone else at school."

"He said he was going to talk to you, but I didn't know when."

"We actually chatted yesterday."

"You know, I think Ron really dreaded telling both of us about it. Most people in the magical world think they know him. And, suddenly we both liked him for who he really was, as opposed to what his reputation was as a war hero or famous auror."

"And he's really famous?"

"Really. Quite famous actually. Did he tell you about the newspaper?"

"No. What did he leave out?"

"Well, I guess he is a bit of a famous bachelor wizard. And just like muggle paparazzi have movie stars that they follow around, apparently they would follow him around a lot too. And, for a long time people talked about him as the most eligible wizard and other nonsense."

"Ron? Our Ron?" Rose asked laughing.

"Apparently so. And, well, back in May a photographer followed him and got some pictures of Ron hugging me, holding hands with me and kissing me at a restaurant," Hermione cringed.

"Really?" Rose asked suddenly creeped out. "They followed you?"

"Well, they followed him. They never figured out my name, but well, I'm sure they will at some point. Harry and Ron have assured me they can't print any names or pictures of you or Hugo at all, so they won't bother you. But, well, I would imagine it will come out at some point when you are at school. You don't have to lie or anything, but just help Ron keep his private life private as much as possible ok?"

"That is so weird, Mum."

"I know. But we love him as our family, right?"

"Oh God yeah, I'm not saying it's a reason to chuck him. I'm just saying it's weird is all."

"Can you believe this time last year we didn't know magic existed?" Hermione mused.

"It has been the craziest year I can ever remember. But, I am glad we know now. It just makes everything make sense. And think of all the new things we get to learn now!"

"You are so my daughter!"

"I have always been and will always be your daughter, Mum."

"Oh, I know. Even if I didn't know the magical world existed, there was always magic in our lives, Rose. I can remember when I met you, and then suddenly the magic of a mother's love just struck me. I didn't understand all the mechanics of it, but I knew that the power of the love I had for you was special, and that we were meant to find each other. That magic of love, especially that fierce and devoted love we have for our families – however the family comes together – I still think it has to be more powerful than any magic they could possibly teach at Hogwarts."

"I love you, Mum."

"I love you, too, Rose. Now let's go to sleep, tomorrow is going to be an incredible day."