Hand in hand, Ron and Hermione walked up the steps of Grimmauld place and quietly stepped inside. They walked into the living room and were greeted by the sight of Rose coloring in a coloring book on the coffee table while baby James slept in his swing beside her.
She looked up and grinned at them as they entered. "Aunt Ginny gave me these crayons. They're magic! They slowly change colors after you finish the picture!"
Hermione bent down and took Rose's face in her hands, her eyes welling up with tears. "Hi sweetie. You know that I love you very very much?"
Rose nodded. "I know, but why are you crying?"
"These are happy tears Rose. I'm just happy that we are back home...Happy to be back with Ro-...Daddy."
Ron bent down next to Hermione. "I love you too Rose, and am so happy that both of you are here."
Rose grinned again before crinkling her nose in confusion and looking at Hermione. "You talk like Daddy now?"
Hermione laughed and nodded. "I do."
Rose looked slightly sad."Well I want to talk like that too."
"Well, practice makes perfect!" Ron chirped and she smiled.
"I'll practice then!" She said brightly before her face clouded over. "There's a man here and I dont think he likes me."
"What?" Ron gasped, immediately drawing his wand out of his pocket. "What does he look like? Where is your Aunt Ginny?" His eyes scanned the room.
Rose shrugged. He has ginger hair like us and him and Aunt Ginny went into the kitchen to talk."
Ron let out a sigh of relief as he re-pocketed his wand. Obviously it was a family member of his...but who?
"Why do you think the man doesnt like you?" he asked Rose gently.
"Well he walked in and stared at me funny. And then he told Aunt Ginny that he needed to talk to her, alone. So they went into the kitchen and...I guess they're talking now." Bored of the conversation, she turned her attention back to her paper and again started coloring.
Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and wordlessly they headed towards the kitchen. The door was shut and Ron leaned his ear against it, listening.
He immediately heard Bill's agitated voice.
"You need to tell me the truth Gin. Mum's a worried mess, and is going to absolutely flip shite when she finds out Ron has a child."
"I told you Bill. Ron should be here shortly and he can explain it to you. It's not my business to tell." Ron could practically picture Ginny standing there with her arms crossed.
"That girl in there is undoubtedly Ron's, she's his clone…so who the hell did the bloody irresponsible git knock up?"
"I'm not denying that she's Ron's, Bill." Ginny sounded exhasperated. "But the matter of her mother needs to be explained by Ron."
With that, Ron threw the door open and stepped into the kitchen.
Bill quickly turned towards him, his face growing stern as he stuck his finger out at him. "You!" He walked towards him. "Do you have any idea what you are putting this family throu-" He abruptly stopped, his eyes taking in the sight of Hermione as she moved and stood by Ron's side.
"Hello Bill." She gave him a small smile.
"You remember now!" Ginny squealed and when Hermione nodded she jumped and gave her a hug.
Ron watched as Bill's eyes widened in realization and was rendered speechless as he took a couple steps back and sank into a kitchen chair.
"Oh." he muttered.
Ron chuckled. "Bloody irresponsible git eh?" he asked, arching his eyebrow.
Bill gave him his own small chuckle. "Well. Still are...just for different reasons."
Bill stood then and gingerly pulled Hermione in a hug that she returned. "It's good to see you Hermione."
They all then sat down and both Hermione and Ron explained everything to Bill as Ginny went and checked on Rose and James.
When everything had been said, Bill stretched out his arms and cracked his knuckles.
"Woah. Well...sorry but you're going to have to retell all of that tonight at The Burrow...Ron, your presence is mandatory. That's why I'm here actually..when Mum heard that you were back and that you were here, she sent me to check up on you and demand that you be at dinner tonight.
Ron nodded. "Great. We can catch everyone up...is everyone coming?"
Bill nodded. "Even Charlie is down for the week."
"Boy everyone is in for a surprise." He looked at Hermione, concerned. "Is all of this moving too fast for you love?"
She shook her head slowly. "Yes..but it's okay. I'm excited to see everyone."
"Ok." Ron grinned. "Let's do this!"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mrs. Weasley had made it quite clear that everyone was to be there by 6:00 sharp but it was 6:07 when Harry opened the front door of The Burrow and let Ginny enter first, carrying baby James in her arms. Harry stepped in then and wiped his feet on the welcome mat before shutting the door quietly as he could behind him. He and Ginny both heard and watched as Mrs. Weasley rounded the corner, her hands on her hips, her body language letting on that she was highly agitated.
"Why are you late and where is Ronald? And Bill?"
"They're coming shortly." Harry answered quickly. "Ron wants everyone to gather in the living room first...he has an announcement to make."
"Yeah well it better be a damn good one to excuse him from missing work." George grumbled loudly, walking in from the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrows. "Harry. Ginerva. What is this about?" She asked sternly.
Ginny smirked at her as James started fussing and she adjusted her top to feed him. "You're just going to have to wait and see like everyone else Mum."
Mrs. Weasley gave a huff of annoyance as she turned around and called the others into the living room.
When everyone had grudgingly taken a seat, Harry pulled out his wand and conjured up his patronus. "Ok. Everyone's here."
Only a few seconds after Harry's stag had dissapeared, Ron opened the door and stepped in, closing it behind him with a smile on his face.
"Tosser!" George yelled.
"Git!" added Charlie.
The rest of his family just stared at him in anticipation of what he had to say.
"My dearest family." he started out dramatically, earning a snort and an eyeroll from Ginny. "As the handsomest Weasley brother, I-"
"M'zorry Ronald, but zat title belongs to Beel." Fleur cut in, letting out a small tinkery laugh.
"That, dear sister in law, is a matter of opinion." He said with a wink towards her as his family exchanged confused glances at his unusually giddy behavior as he went on. "I'm well aware that you all are more than a little annoyed with me-"
"Here, here!" George shouted, raising his glass of tea in the air.
"-for leaving so mysteriously, but I hope that what I have to show you will more than make up for my absence because I come bearing gifts!" He finished with a flourish of his arm, looking at the blank faces of his family. "Not one smile?" He huffed. "Fine. I'll just have to show you." He turned around to the closed door and gave it a few hard knocks. The door opened slowly and Ron reached his hand out and pulled Hermione into the house.
The air was filled with absolute silence, everyone staring unblinkingly at the sight in front of them.
Hermione picked up her hand and gave a slow wave. "Hello."
The room erupted then in loud shouts and questions, everyone excitedly talking at once and getting up to hug their long lost friend.
Although Hermione was hugging all of the members of the Weasley family, Ron had taken hold of her hand and didn't let go, even allowing himself to be pulled into hugs as well.
There were lots of tears and Ron was so thankful that there was neither anger nor judgement towards Hermione from anyone, only overwhelming love and care between them all.
"Ok everyone!" Ron shouted above the now drowning noise in the small space. Did you not remember I said that I come bearing gifts? Hermione here is only one of two gifts."
He then ordered everyone to sit down and get quiet again before he opened the front door and stuck his head out. "Oi Bill!" he shouted.
Half a minute later, Bill walked inside the house holding Rose's hand. Ron promptly bent down and picked her up as she stared in wonderment at all of the ginger-headed people in the room.
Again the room was completely silent except for a few gasps and Mrs. Weasley, who let out a cry as she collapsed onto an armchair, her eyes watering and her hand covering her mouth. Mr. Weasley reassuringly grabbed onto her shoulder while standing next to her, his eyes also full of tears.
"This is Rose." said Ron softly. "She's our daughter."
*Two months later*
Hermione walked into their new home from having a nice visit with her parents. Her parents had regained their memories and had moved back into their old house in London and their transition back had been as easy as could be expected given the circumstances and the amount of time lost, but things were finally looking up as far as their now semi-rocky relationship.
"Hellooo." she called out, not seeing Ron or Rose.
"In here!" She heard Ron shout from the kitchen and she smiled as she followed the sound of his voice.
Rose was sitting on the counter watching as Ron levitated dishes one by one into the correct cabinets, and as Hermione walked further into the room, she was greeted by both of their smiles.
"Hey sweetie!" She exclaimed as she grabbed Rose's head and planted a loud kiss between her eyes, before turning and grabbing Ron and pulling him down for a kiss.
"Someone's in a good mood." Ron said, his eyebrow arched as he looked at her.
She ignored him. "So you two have been hard at work I see." she said, absentmindedly eyeing the several large empty boxes on the floor.
"Daddy taught me how to pronounce Wingardium Le-vi-o-sa." Said Rose happily.
Hermione almost burst into a laughing fit at the self-satisfied smirk on Ron's face. "Oh he did, did he? I'm sure you learned faster than he did." She said slyly as Ron chuckled.
"Actually…" Hermione continued. "Ronald, I need a private word."
"Uh oh. Daddy's in trouble." Ron said in a mock-scared voice as Rose laughed.
Together, she and Ron walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. Ron spun around then and grabbed her, pulling her to him and kissing her all over her face.
"Missed you." He smiled, still attacking her face with kisses.
"I was gone a few hours, Ron."
He gave her a lopsided grin. "I missed you in those hours though."
She rolled her eyes and stepped back from him. "When I was out, I stopped and got a test…"
"What kind of te-"
"And I'm pregnant."
She watched his face for his reaction. He stared at her blankly for a few seconds before his eyes widened.
"You are?" He said incredulously. "But the charm…"
"Well.." She said slowly, getting more nervous."We have been careful, except- except for the day that I got my memories back that is."
"That long ago?" he glanced at her middle if he expected her to be about to pop."
She laughed. "My uterus is barely popping out from behind my pubic bone at this point Ron, I'll probably start showing soon though…"
"Your what?" He said, befuddled.
"Oh, nevermind." She waved her hand dismissively. "So…" she trailed off, rocking back and forth on the heels of her feet.
"So there's a baby in you." He stated, his eyes moving from her belly to her face.
"A very small one, yes." she confirmed.
A small grin appeared on his face and it grew wider and wider until he was absolutely beaming. "This is great, Hermione!"
"Really? You're happy? I was nervous about how you would-"
He grabbed the sides of her face and planted a kiss on her lips. " Happy? Hermione I'm happier now than I have ever been in my whole life. This will just add to that." He shrugged.
Hermione couldn't help from tears welling up in her eyes at his words.
Ron looked suddenly nervous. "What about Rose? What if she thinks that we are..replacing her or something?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, I think she will be excited. You see the way she is with James...she'll be ecstatic.
Ron sighed with relief, his smile coming back. "You're right, I think she will be."
Together they walked back into the kitchen.
"Rose, we have something to tell you." started Hermione.
The girl turned to them, waiting patiently.
"You're going to be a big sister!" Ron blurted, unable to keep it in.
Rose screamed before jumping up and hugging both of their legs. "Yay! I've always wanted a baby sister!...or brother." she added.
"Let's go out to eat tonight. Wherever you two want." Ron said happily.
"Ronald Weasley, you are such a sucker." laughed Hermione.
As they headed out the door, Hermione once again had the feeling of elation that she was herself again, and that she now had even more than she had ever wanted. She knew that life wasn't all happiness and bliss, but she soaked up every moment of it.
*Approximately seven months later*
Hermione smiled at the sight of Ron holding their hour old son for the first time. They were at St. Mungo's after a very quick labor as they had barely managed to get there in time before the baby had been born.
"He's so tiny." Ron mused, kissing the baby on the top of his head. "Hugo. I can't wait to take you to your first Chudley Cannons game. I took your sister to a game a few months ago, and now she's a lifelong fan."
Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "That's the first thing you say to your son? Something about quidditch?"
Ron shrugged. "It's important." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "You did amazing love."
She sighed and leaned back onto the reclined bed, closing her eyes. "Only because you were here with me."
Just then a healer walked in with a clipboard. "Good afternoon! You have some visitors waiting just outside, but there's a few things I need to go over first."
She asked Hermione a few questions and checked her over, making sure that everything was okay before looking again at her clipboard. "There's one last thing. Although it's uncommon in this country, we do offer in-hospital circumcisions in case there's a religious reasoning."
Ron's eyes widened in horror as he pulled Hugo towards his chest as if to protect him. "Absolutely not." he said firmly. He looked down at the baby, "Don't worry Hugo, I won't let anyone cut part of it off."
The healer chuckled, checking a box on the clipboard. "So that's a no then." She walked over to the door. "I'll let you visit with the rest of the family now, they seemed quite impatient."
She walked out and in rushed Rose, followed by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and then Harry and Ginny.
"Let me see him, let me see!" Rose cried, as Ron bent down and showed Hugo to her.
"He's so small!" she whispered, not wanting to wake him up.
"He'll grow." Ron chuckled.
"Oh Ronnie he's so beautiful." gushed Mrs. Weasley as Harry clapped his hand on Ron's back.
Ginny pulled Hermione's head in for a small hug. "He's so cute Hermione...even if he does look like Ron."
Hermione smiled. "It's those Weasley genes." She watched as Ron held Hugo while talking quietly to Rose. "But that's okay, I love it that way." she said softly.
This is the final chapter of this story! Please let me know how you feel about it, good or bad!
I'm working on three other fics so keep your eyes out for them!
(Wingardium leviosa idea credit to JonRiptide ;)
Thank you so much for reading!