Word Count: 568

"Mummy, Daddy!" Rose runs along, squealing with excitement as she holds up a sparkly tube like she's found the greatest treasure ever. "Look! Look what I found!"

Hugo follows behind her, his short legs making it hard for him to keep up. Ron smiles to himself. He remembers being Hugo's age and so desperate to keep up with his older brothers.

Hermione's eyes brighten as she seems to recognize the object their daughter holds. "Was this in the box of toys Grandma and Grandpa Granger sent?" she asks.

Rose nods, clearly proud of her. "What is it?"

Hugo reaches them, holding up a purple and yellow bunny rabbit. "Bun!" he says, giggling as he lifts it for his parents to see.

"Such a good little bun, Hu," Ron agrees, reaching out and ruffling his son's hair.

"What about mine?" Rose asks, stamping her foot.

"No tantrums," Hermione warns.

Rose huffs. "It isn't a tantrum, Mummy! I'm just saying."

Ron laughs, earning a withering look from his wife. He tries to cover it up as a cough, but he isn't fooling anyone. He clears his throat. "Right! This… thing. What is it, Hermione?"

Hermione stares at him for a moment longer, her lips quirking at the corners. Finally, she turns her attention to Rose. "This," she says, tapping a finger against the tube, "is a kaleidoscope."

"What's a buh-lye-da-scope?" Rose asks, frowning, her freckled scrunching as she ponders it.

"Kaleidoscope," Hermione corrects, pronouncing each syllable with care so that Rose can mimic it.

"Kaleidoscope!"

"Right. See that hole? Put it to your eye."

Ron watches, curious. He wonders if Hermione is playing some sort of joke on their daughter, but she isn't the silly type.

Rose gasps, turning her head from side to side, her jaw slack. Ron doesn't know what she sees, but it must be pretty amazing.

"Whoa," she says.

Hugo abandons his toy bunny, leaving it on the floor in front of the coffee table. "Me see!" he says, curling his fingers inward then straightening them again like he's grabbing at the air. "Me see, Wosie!"

Rose, as always, is good with her brother. She presses the kaleidoscopic gently to his eye, careful not to push too hard. Whatever Hugo sees makes him squeal in excitement and clap his chubby hands together.

"Come on," Rose says. "Maybe there's another!"

And just like that, they're gone, hand-in-hand. Ron stares after them, smiling to himself. "They seemed happy," he says, resting his head on Hermione's shoulder.

"Do you think it will always be this way with them?" she asks.

Ron laughs. As much as he loves all his siblings now, the Burrow had been a warzone growing up. No one could get along for more than a day at a time, except for Fred and George.

"I'll take that as a no," Hermione says, amusement clear in her tone.

"Best to just enjoy it while it lasts," Ron suggests, tilting his head so that he can press a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"I can't think of anyone better to enjoy it with," she says, holding his hand, her thumb rubbing softly over his knuckles.

Ron smiles to himself, listening to the sounds of his children digging through the toys in the other room. It's a beautiful life, a life he had never known he would want. Now that it's his, he wouldn't trade it for the world.