A New Beggining

Author/ff.net: Azrael
Paring: Harry P./Ron W.
Rating: GP at least for this chapter.
Disclaimer: Not mine, my idol JK Rowling owns them, I'm just playing in the sandbox.
Warning: this is **slash**
Notes: Our groups eats cheesecakes and Hermione drops a bomb, not that kind of bomb!

Chapter Two: Cheesecake and Suggestions

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"Okay, anybody want some cheesecake?" Ron asked after they had gotten home from the Burrow, as expected the dinner went magnificently, though some of the steaks were badly charred, it didn't lessen the joyous occasion. When it was time for them to go home, Hermione and Harry all agreed to stop by Ron's place. "I got some freshly made this afternoon."

"I do, I do," Ruelf sang.

"None for me, thanks," Hermione said with a smile. She was quite full from the dinner earlier, and her husband would probably have a piece of cake waiting for her when she gets back home. Viktor agreed to tuck Kyrie into bed, he understood that the three friends needed some time alone together after being apart for almost two months.

"I'll have some," Harry called and he looked at Hermione, "I thought that you loved eating Ron's world famous cheesecake,"

"Yes, Aunt Hermione, it has your favorite strawberries and whipped cream. You have to have some." Ruelf added.

"Okay, two against one that is so not fair," Hermione finally agreed, "and for your information," Hermione informed Harry with her eyebrows raised. "you're the one who loves eating those cheesecakes, Honestly, after all this time, you would think that Ron would finally admit that he wasn't the one preparing the treat, him, baking, as if."

"I heard that!" Ron returned to the room, apparently he didn't wait for the argument, since he came out with the cheesecake and four plates and forks. He placed the dessert on the coffee table and proceeded to cut three big slices for the adults and one smaller size for his son.

"I want a bigger piece," Ruelf complained, his infamous pout in place.

"You can't finish that much." His father explained pointing to the larger slices.

Ruelf was about to complain, but Ron gave him a look that said that no more discussion would be entertained. Ruelf frowned but after a moment turned his pout towards his Aunt Hermione. Hermione gave Ron a sheepish grin as she held out her plate and exchanged for the smaller piece that was on Ruelf's plate. Harry smiled when he saw Ron gave Hermione a look that promised dire retribution. He knew how Hermione felt, Harry still managed to get reeled by the little tyke's antics and drama. "It's good Ron," Harry said, after his first bite, to try and change the subject. As he'd hoped, Ron turned his attention on to her. "You missed your calling, you should have been a world famous chef."

"Baking is only one of my many talents." Ron boasted.

"More like your only talent," Hermione teased, smiling at the exchange, Harry knew that all was well again in the world.

As usual, Ruelf was the one doing the talking. He was regaling his audience with all that has happened since this morning, all the games that he and Hal played, and then the antics that the children did, when Kyrie arrived. Harry felt that all that all the grown-ups gaze was on the child, and it warmed his heart to know that he was a part of these wonderful people.

**********

"You don't have boggarts, Ruelf," Harry said, flashing a smile in his godson's direction before turning off the light in the bedroom and closing the door. He thought how wonderful it was that Ron had his precious son. He couldn't imagine his best-friend's life if his wife died, leaving him alone in the world. He knew that Ron would understand that he wouldn't be truly alone, he'd still have Harry and Hermione and his family, so there would have been no shortage of support. But because Fleur did leave a son, Ron didn't have much time to grieve, he'd understood that his late wife would want him to be strong for their child. Harry couldn't bear it if he lost Ruelf and he was just his uncle. He can imagine what it would be like for Ron, who's the father. Life just wouldn't be worth living.

The six months before Fleur died had been the hard for all of them. For Ron, because he'd been comforting a dying wife while trying to maintain a stable home for his son. For Hermione and Harry, because they had to watch their best-friend suffer through the agony of seeing a loved one slowly slip away for him. For the Weaslys, because they knew that tragedy would forever mark their beloved son and brother. For Ruelf, who hadn't really understood while his mother was leaving. But most of all, it was very hard for Fleur, who died a brave death thinking only of her husband and son.

Harry was sad that Ron had lost a wife, and Ruelf his mother, but he was happy to know that they had shared Fleur's love. She had been a wonderful wife and a loving mother. Harry didn't have that luxury, both his parent's died when he was a baby, and the Dursleys, well, lets just say that they weren't role parents.

Harry knew that Hermione and Ron knows that he was going through some rough time in his marriage to Cho, he couldn't blame them, he had always known that theirs was a passion not built on love, but on need. The need of having someone to say that you were linked to, someone that you can say is yours.

Both her best-friend, one finding love but losing it, one who has someone. Harry wondered whether he would ever find another person to share his life with. Now, after two years of being completely on his own, he wondered if he would ever look for one.

"We didn't hear you come down," Ron said when he glanced up from his task of putting the dishes on the dishwasher, while Hermione is busily wiping the countertop. "Ruelf didn't try to make you stay a little longer did he?"

"You both know that he did, the little bugger." Hermione laughed. She knew that Harry had been wrapped around Ruelf's fingers, but that was understood. She always had a hard time refusing her daughter anything and Harry well, let's just say that he was the best and worse uncle a child could have. The best if you asked the children, but the worse, according to the parents. "But you on the other hand, had learned." Harry remarked to Ron.

Ron smiled. "He did, haven't he? I remember the time where I would buy the kid everything that he asks for."

"Well, you can't possibly blame me, I mean have you looked at the kid of yours lately, the little tyke is a quintessential manipulator. "Even you can't refuse him anything," At Ron raised his eyebrow, he added. "Well most of the time anyway."

"Shut the hell up, both of you." Hermione laughed. They were both right, they would always do anything that Ruelf asks for, just as long as they know that they'd be assured of Ruelf's happiness. With that remark, Hermione moved towards the counter and started to fix them all three cups. She gestured to her two best friends to sit around the kitchen counter. "Now, both of ye, sit down, and I'll fix us a glass of tea," she said. "We still have to catch up."

Ron nodded, but ushered his friends into the family room. "It would be better if we sit on the couch, makes for a more comfortable conversations." He gestured for them to precede him, and he carried the tray with him and set it on the table. When they had all settled, it was Hermione who asked Harry the first question.

"So what happened?"

"I got accepted as a teacher at Hogwarts, Defense Against the Dark Arts," Harry said with a grin.

Hermione jumped up in excitement, as he knew she would. "That's great, Harry, What do you need me to do, I have these books that would be great for your lessons. Just got them this week. Oh, Harry, that's amazing, you always wanted to teach at Hogwarts and now you will." She stopped her clapping and moved to gather Harry into her arms and gave him a squeeze.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts, tempting the fates eh," Ron said, ever since they were students at Hogwarts, there were always unlucky to have a teacher of that subject to last for more than one term. With things happening right and left at Hogwarts, it was a miracle, that they always had a supply of teachers to go around. "Didn't get Snape's job, did you?"

"Snape's still teaches at Hogwarts," Harry announced, with a twinkle in his eyes, "And we both know that I suck at potions. Hermione's the only one in this room, who could make a mean Polyjuice potion."

"Shut up, both of you," said Hermione, who had started to blush around her ears, but she looked rather pleased that they still remembered that one. "But Harry, I thought that Cho, didn't want you to become a teacher at Hogwarts, she always worried about your safety, even after Voldemort." With that name, Ron flinched, it wasn't because he was still afraid, they did defeat You know who, but it was borne out of habit.

When they were younger the mere mention of the name sends shivers up the spines of witches and wizards alike. Only Harry doesn't have any trouble saying the name, apparently, now neither does Hermione.

"My divorce became final two weeks ago." Harry said softly.

Ron inclined his head slightly and placed his hand on Harry's shoulders to give his friend a reasurring squeeze. Hermione wrapped her arms around her friend tighter, and whispered. "I'm sorry to hear that Harry," she said, "Do you want to talk about it."

Harry gestured for the two of them to sit down. "There's nothing to talk about. My marriage were over long before the divorce papers came in."

Hermione knew that there was more, but she knew Harry well enough to know that he'd talk about it, when he is able and ready. But she continued to hold on to Harry's arms and stroke it.

"I did love her, you know." Harry began slowly. "I did want to spend my life with her, didn't I?"

Ron sat quietly on the sofa, but he said. "Who knows what happened. Things doesn't always seem to go the way we wanted them to."

Hermione knew that Ron was thinking about Fleur, and she immediately felt guilty. Guilty about being happy with her life. Ron had lost a wife that loved him, Harry ended his marriage. She wouldn't know what she'd do if she lost her family. Viktor and Kyrie, she wouldn't know how she'd get through life without them. "I'm sorry." She said sadly.

Ron stopped his brooding and held Hermione's chin up to look her in the eye. "Oh, Hermione, you don't need to feel guilty for having a wonderful life. We're both sorry for getting carried away. Tonight is a time to celebrate Harry's selection as a professor."

Harry held her hands. "He's right you know. Besides there is really nothing to be sad about, I still have great friends to help me get through the lonely days ahead of me." She smiled, and they both smiled back at her.

"Change of subject," Ron looked up at the two of them, a self-deprecating grin on his lips. "Guess what Ruelf asked me this morning while we were having breakfast?"

Hermione giggled, as she slumped in the couch. "I can guess. He wanted to know when is he going to have a new mommy?"

Harry looked surprised, but it was Ron who asked her, with a stupid look about him. "How did you know?"

Hermione explained. "I heard him talking about it with Kyrie and Hal, this afternoon. He said that you were going to give him a new parent soon, and he'll have two people looking after him soon."

"Oh." Maybe, Ruelf's statement was more serious than Hermione had thought, she deemed it funny when she first heard about it, now she wasn't so sure.

"Yeah, oh, that was the first word that came out of my mouth too, when I first heard about it."

Ron lifter his eyes to look at Hermione. "Surely, he said more than that, didn't he?"

Harry sat up straighter on propped his elbows onto his knees. Harry was as protective of Ruelf as his biological father. Hermione considered her godson fortunate to have two dads looking after him. "Like what? He didn't say anything more than that, he didn't seem too over concerned about it. From the tone of his voice when he said that, he figured that it would only be a matter of time." Hermione's voice quickened, "Didn't you ask him what made him think of that question this morning."

The corner of Ron's mouth quirked at an odd angle. "I did ask him that."

"Well," it was Harry who asked the question. "what did he say?"

Ron took a deep breath. "Well, he said that Fleur promised him that she'd send a new parent when it was time."

Harry took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you really think that Fleur told him that?"

"I don't doubt it for one second. Fleur was always a planner. Why shouldn't she plan this one to?"

Hermione heard the annoyance in her friends voice. "You shouldn't be annoyed with Fleur, she only wanted what was best for you and her son."

Ron folded his arms around him. "I know that, but talking to Ruelf about having a new person on his life as a parent. That was a bit much, even for her."

Hermione nodded, not in agreement, but in acknowledgement that she understood where he was coming from. "Fleur loved you, Ron. And you loved here. She'd want you to be happy."

"You don't think that I'm happy?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. But it was Harry who spoke. "Fleur's been gone for over two years now and to our knowledge you haven't even looked at another person to share your life with?"

"You're a fine one to talk Harry," Ron complained. "How many dates have you gone out in for the last three years?"

"But, I've been married for the last three years years," Harry said in defense of his actions.

"Right." Ron said sarcastically.

Hermione sighed. They're both using their marriage for not dating. She knew that Ron had to finish his grieving before he could truly be happy, while Harry. Well, he hadn' t been the one to file for a divorce because he didn't want his excuse to be taken away. "You're quite a pair, you both know that don't you?"

"Ruelf needs another parent, Ron. Even if you don't think that you need a partner." Hermione said. "And you need to get on with your life Harry, Cho had gone along with hers."

"I know you're going to think that I'm selfish Hermione, but I've always thought that you and Harry as Ruelf's other parent."

Hermione had gathered that, even before Ron had said it, but she also knows that his son needed more than just an Aunt and Uncle that's acting as surrogate parents.

"I'm glad to hear that," Harry said. "I do feel that Ruelf is my son is some way," He looked at Hermione. "That is why I don't need to live another life, I have one right here and it suits me just fine."

"Believe me, I believe that you're both right." She looked at Ron before continuing. "But you have to consider some things. Ruelf needs someone who'll live here with the two of you, someone else to tuck him in every night, someone to read him stories. Someone who'll share his life and yours." Hermione glanced back to Harry as she finished. "And you, you need to share a life with someone 24/7, not just as a surrogate parent that has the benefits without the hardships that go along with it. In other words, what you need your own family to look after. I understand that after the Dursleys as your role model family, it doesn't look promising at all, but Harry even after all that. There's no doubt in my mind that you'd make a great father."

Hermione studied her two best-friend's faces for what seemed like hours, before she dropped her bomb. "In fact, what I'm trying to say to both of you is that Harry could be the new mommy, or daddy number two, so to speak."