Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Twenty-Two: Olivia's Birthday
"Happy Birthday Olivia!" Emma shouted into her sister's room as she awoke and ran downstairs on the morning of July 15th. The now one-year-old little girl was standing in her crib, and watched her sister run by before she started to cry to signal to her parents that she was awake. After a loud groan from the bedroom, Ron pulled himself out of bed and went into the baby's room.
"Happy Birthday love," he said to her as she smiled and held her arms out to him. He picked her up and changed her diaper. However, he neglected to change her out of her pajamas and instead brought her back into bed with him and Hermione.
Hermione, pretending to be asleep, heard them come in. She felt Ron's heavy weight on the bed, and then the light pressure of Olivia's as Ron placed her between them. Hermione smiled when she felt Olivia's hands on her side, and then turned her head and opened her eyes slightly to see her younger daughter smiling at her.
"Hello Olivia," she said, and she smiled back. "Are you a big girl today?"
Olivia smiled again, and giggled as Hermione turned over and tickled her lightly on the stomach. Hermione sat up and took the little girl into her lap and kissed her forehead. "You're a whole year old already," she said. "You're so grown up."
Another voice soon joined the conversation. "Are we having a party?" Emma asked from the doorway.
"Not today," said Hermione. "But we will on Saturday."
"But today is her birthday," Emma protested. "Shouldn't we have the party ON her birthday?"
"We would," said Ron, as Emma climbed into the bed and sat between her parents. "But today is Tuesday, and I have work, and your mum has to work, so we can't have the party until the weekend."
"What am I going to do while you're at work?" Emma asked, though she knew the answer quite well.
"What you've been doing everyday that mummy has to work. You'll stay with Uncle Harry," Hermione explained. "And I think he's going to bring you and your sister and your cousins to visit me and Aunt Ginny for lunch."
"Yay!" Emma exclaimed. She loved to visit Hermione and Ginny's office, though they never allowed her to do what she truly wanted, and peer into all the pensieves they kept behind locked doors. She looked at Ron. "Can you come for lunch too daddy?"
"I'll do my best," said Ron. "But right now, it's about time we got ready to start the day."
"Why don't you get dressed, and I'll be there in a moment to help you," Hermione suggested to Emma. The little girl hopped off the bed and ran off to her bedroom.
"You want to get Olivia ready, or should I?" Ron asked.
"I don't mind," Hermione said, and pulled herself out of bed and, taking the baby, headed to Olivia's room.
* * *
"It's a slow day," Ginny said as she consulted the appointment book she and Hermione kept. "Looks like we've seen all our scheduled patients already."
"The summer vacation, I suspect," said Hermione. "Most of the clients are out of town. We'll be swamped when they get back."
"We don't have anyone else until three thirty," said Ginny. "Should I tell Harry to bring the kids by earlier? We could cut out early ourselves today."
"Sure," said Hermione. "I do feel rather guilty that I'm working on Olivia's birthday."
Ginny contacted Harry, and he arrived with the four children a half hour later. His hair looked even messier than usual and after he had given Ginny a welcoming kiss he said, "This is why we're only going to have two children." He gestured at the four children, all of whom seemed covered in one substance or another. For James it was mud, as he had clearly been trying out some Quidditch skills in the backyard. For Emma it was glitter, as she had been working on a art project and felt it appropriate to decorate herself ("I want to be shiny, too," were her words to Harry). Lily and Olivia looked relatively normal as, being only a year old, they often found their way into things. However, today they had managed to open the tin of Floo Powder, and each child's hair was a bit ashy. Ginny laughed at Harry's comment, and the picked up Lily to take her to the bathroom to clean her off.
"How my birthday girl doing?" Hermione asked as she did the same with Olivia.
"She's been pretty good all day," said Harry. "Probably could use a nap soon though." Hermione nodded, and then followed Ginny into the bathroom. Harry sat down on the couch and watch James and Emma, who were now building with the blocks Hermione and Ginny kept in the office for these very occasions.
"You almost ready for lunch?" he asked them.
"I want to see Uncle Fred and Uncle George," James said.
"Maybe on our way back from lunch," said Harry. "What do you think you want to eat?"
"I don't know." James shrugged.
"Ice cream," Emma said immediately.
"Emma," came Ron's voice suddenly. He had walked into the office unnoticed. "Emma, you know you can't have ice cream until AFTER you eat some real lunch." Emma looked at her father and rolled her eyes. Harry laughed.
"You see how she treats her father?" Ron asked as he sat down on the couch next to Harry. Harry just laughed again. "You just wait," Ron said to him. "You just wait until Lily starts doing that to you. Wait until your little baby girl starts rolling her eyes at you."
"It'll never happen," said Harry. This time, it was Ron who rolled his eyes.
* * *
As most meals in public places with four children are, the lunch the Potters and the Weasleys ate together was a near disaster. After much deliberation at the office, they had decided to simply go out for hamburgers at a local shop that Hermione and Ginny frequented often. "We are NOT taking all of these children to a fancy restaurant," Ginny said. She couldn't have been more right. When the two families left the restaurant, the area around their table looked as though a small food war had waged between the families, when in reality it was just a mess from the normal task of trying to get a 6-year-old, a 4-year-old, and two 1-year- olds to eat an entire meal in one sitting. The families certainly got some dirty looks from the wait staff that had to clean the table up when they left.
"So," said Ginny when the families were going to part, "we'll see you on Saturday, then?"
"We'd better," said Hermione.
"You think we'd miss this little girl's party?" Ginny asked, and she pinched one of Olivia's cheeks to make the little girl laugh.
"Of course not," said Hermione.
"It's okay if we come early with mum, right?" Ginny asked.
"Absolutely," Hermione said. "We'll see you then."
After a few more parting words, the families separated, each heading back to their own homes.
* * *
Hermione and Ron spent Saturday morning running around and getting ready for the little girl's birthday party. Emma helped as much as she could, mostly by moving balloons from one location to the next, but it wasn't until Mrs. Weasley and Ginny arrived that they were really able to get things going.
The guest started to arrive right on schedule. As expected, Hagrid was the first person there, always wanted to spend some more time with the children before they got swept up in the excitement of the party. He played with them in the backyard, giving the other adults even more time to get things ready. Soon, the party was in full swing.
All the usual guests had come: Hermione's parents, Ron's entire family, and as usual there was much laughing and entertaining going around. Hermione noted that she barely saw Emma the entire evening, and Olivia spent so much time being passed around that Hermione rarely saw her either. She herself let the afternoon pass by, bringing the guests the things they needed.
"Feeling all right, Luna?" she asked the now seven-months-pregnant woman as she was making a run to the kitchen.
"Fine," said Luna, and she smiled to reassure Hermione.
"How are you, Neville?" Hermione asked.
"Great!" the man answered. He had been talking to Hagrid and was clearly having a wonderful time.
"Need anything?" Hermione asked. "Something to drink?"
"No thanks," said Luna. "I'm okay." Neville shook his head as well, and Hermione headed into the house.
She was still smiling as she walked into the kitchen. There she ran into Ron, who was concentrating very hard as he looked at Olivia's birthday cake. Hermione stood where she was and watched him, still with the small smile on her face. The couple stayed in their respective placed until Ron finally looked up and saw her watching him.
He smiled widely. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked.
Hermione didn't answer. She walked towards Ron and instead asked a question of her own. "What are you doing?"
"I was trying to think of the best way to hex the candles so they wouldn't blow out," said Ron. "Or at least so they would keep relighting."
Hermione smiled and playfully punched her husband in the arm. "Ronald Weasley, don't you dare!"
"Why not?" Ron pouted.
"Because you know you're only doing it to torture me!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Of course," said Ron, and he put his arm around her and pulled her tightly against him. "Because you see, love, even after all these years, one of my greatest pleasures is to torture you."
Hermione, though smiling, opened her mouth to protest, but was unable to as Ron's lips pressed against her own.
* * *
Hermione carefully carried the cake out of the kitchen and into the backyard. As soon as the guests saw her, they began to sing. Hermione continued to make her way towards the picnic table, where Ron sat with Olivia on his lap. The baby was smiling and looking around in awe. Even though she was unlikely to remember the events of the party, somehow she knew that all the people gathered were there for her, and she seemed intent on milking it for all it was worth.
Olivia's eyes glowed as Hermione set the cake before her. She was an early lover of sweets - Hermione could only guess that was Ron's influence - and she reached a hand towards the cake in an effort to get some of the icing. She was quickly stopped by Ron however, who feared that she might reach for the candle's flame instead.
Emma stood next to Ron, waiting for the big moment she was promised - when she could help her sister blow out the birthday candles. Mrs. Weasley was snapping pictures of the kids as the guests finished singing. Hermione and Ron encouraged Olivia to blow out the candles, but the little girl was too busy poking her fingers into the frosting. Emma was getting antsy, keeping her gaze on the candle, waiting for the go ahead from Hermione.
"Can I mummy?" she finally asked.
"Looks like Olivia is not so interested," Ron added.
"Okay, Em," said Hermione, "it's all yours."
Emma smiled and took in a deep breath, puffing her cheeks out. Everyone watched as she steadied herself in front of the cake and blew with all her might. It did not take long for the one birthday candle and it's good luck counterpart to extinguish. The guests clapped, causing Olivia to finally look up from the cake frosting. She smiled and clapped right along with them.
"Okay!" Ron exclaimed, standing up. He passed Olivia to Hermione and picked up a knife. "Who's ready for cake?"
* * *
The guests stayed late into the evening, well after Olivia had conked out on the living room floor. Emma had fallen asleep as well, though she had fought her fatigue for as long as she could before crashing on the floor next to her sister.
"I think it's time we headed home," said Ginny. She and Harry were, as was most often the case, the last people to leave. Now, gesturing at the sleeping Weasley girls on the floor, and her own sleeping daughter in her arms, she and Harry thought it best to head home. "Want me to come over tomorrow? Help you straighten up?"
Hermione shook her head. "Are you crazy?" she asked. "Do something gun tomorrow before we have to work again on Monday."
"Yeah, Gin," Ron agreed. "I think we know how to clean our own house."
"If you say so," Ginny said, for the sole purpose of annoying her older brother.
"Didn't you say you were leaving?" Ron shot back.
"All right, I think we REALLY should go," Harry said, putting a hand on Ginny's shoulder to lead her to the door. He turned to James. "Ready to go, buddy?"
James yawned tiredly and leaned against Harry's leg. "No," he said. Hermione smiled.
"Night James," she said. "We'll see you soon, okay?"
"'Kay," said James with another yawn.
"Good night," Harry said, and he picked James up, no easy task anymore.
"Good night," said Ron and Hermione together, and they saw Harry, Ginny and the kids off.
Once they were gone, Ron and Hermione turned to their own sleeping children. "I get Emma, you get Olivia?" Ron asked with a smile, and Hermione nodded. They each approach one of their sleeping beauties and lifted them up.
At the stairs, Ron followed Hermione, saying "Ladies first," before she headed up. He followed her into Olivia's room and they both watched her sleep for a moment. The same was repeated in Emma's room before the couple headed to their own bedroom.
Ron was the first to get into bed, and he watched Hermione move around the bedroom, putting on a nightgown and brushing her hair. When she finally slid into bed next to him, he smiled and kissed her.
Leaning back against the headboard, he said to her, "We have perfect kids, don't we?"
Hermione smiled. "Yup," she said, and there was no mistaking the happiness and pride in her voice as she leaned against Ron. She realized that it was now the perfect opportunity to tell him some news. "Ron?" she asked.
"Yeah?" he answered, absentmindedly playing with a strand of her hair.
"I was wondering what you would think, you know, seeing as the first two turned out so perfect, if we had THREE perfect children?"
Ron stopped the motion of his hand, but didn't miss a beat in the conversation. "Are you saying that you WANT three children or that there WILL BE three children?" he asked, suddenly realizing that he hoped it was the latter option.
Hermione sat up and leaned on her knees to face him. She was smiling widely, and Ron could now see the glow in her eyes. "There WILL be three, Ron," she said. "I'm pregnant again."
Ron smiled and hugged her "I've been waiting all day to tell you that," Hermione said. "I think it happened that night in Hogsmeade. After the reunion. It looks like we're going to have another March baby."
Ron pulled away from her. "I love you," was all he said.
"I love -" was all Hermione could manage before Ron kissed her, and pulled her down. He reached over to the lamp to turn it off, but when the lights were out, he pulled away from Hermione.
"Wait a minute," he said. "Am I going to have to share my birthday with this one too?"
Hermione laughed along with him. "I thought you LIKED sharing a birthday with Emma," she said.
"I do," said Ron. "But three people in one family with the same birthday is just too many." He stretched his legs out on the bed. "Plus, I don't think Emma should share a birthday with her little brother or sister. Sharing a birthday with her dear old dad is one thing, but -"
Hermione cut him off by kissing him again, and then she followed his example and stretched her own legs out on the bed, resting her head on her pillow so that she was now looking up at him. "I don't think you - or Emma, for that matter - have anything to worry about."
"Good," said Ron, and he kissed her nose. Hermione felt him slide down so that his head was on his own pillow, and then he turned towards her. Hermione felt his arm drape over her, and she turned and moved closer to him. He crooked his chin over her head. "Love you," he murmured, and Hermione could tell that he was already dozing off.
"Love you, too," she said, and she listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and soon fell asleep herself.
Chapter Twenty-Two: Olivia's Birthday
"Happy Birthday Olivia!" Emma shouted into her sister's room as she awoke and ran downstairs on the morning of July 15th. The now one-year-old little girl was standing in her crib, and watched her sister run by before she started to cry to signal to her parents that she was awake. After a loud groan from the bedroom, Ron pulled himself out of bed and went into the baby's room.
"Happy Birthday love," he said to her as she smiled and held her arms out to him. He picked her up and changed her diaper. However, he neglected to change her out of her pajamas and instead brought her back into bed with him and Hermione.
Hermione, pretending to be asleep, heard them come in. She felt Ron's heavy weight on the bed, and then the light pressure of Olivia's as Ron placed her between them. Hermione smiled when she felt Olivia's hands on her side, and then turned her head and opened her eyes slightly to see her younger daughter smiling at her.
"Hello Olivia," she said, and she smiled back. "Are you a big girl today?"
Olivia smiled again, and giggled as Hermione turned over and tickled her lightly on the stomach. Hermione sat up and took the little girl into her lap and kissed her forehead. "You're a whole year old already," she said. "You're so grown up."
Another voice soon joined the conversation. "Are we having a party?" Emma asked from the doorway.
"Not today," said Hermione. "But we will on Saturday."
"But today is her birthday," Emma protested. "Shouldn't we have the party ON her birthday?"
"We would," said Ron, as Emma climbed into the bed and sat between her parents. "But today is Tuesday, and I have work, and your mum has to work, so we can't have the party until the weekend."
"What am I going to do while you're at work?" Emma asked, though she knew the answer quite well.
"What you've been doing everyday that mummy has to work. You'll stay with Uncle Harry," Hermione explained. "And I think he's going to bring you and your sister and your cousins to visit me and Aunt Ginny for lunch."
"Yay!" Emma exclaimed. She loved to visit Hermione and Ginny's office, though they never allowed her to do what she truly wanted, and peer into all the pensieves they kept behind locked doors. She looked at Ron. "Can you come for lunch too daddy?"
"I'll do my best," said Ron. "But right now, it's about time we got ready to start the day."
"Why don't you get dressed, and I'll be there in a moment to help you," Hermione suggested to Emma. The little girl hopped off the bed and ran off to her bedroom.
"You want to get Olivia ready, or should I?" Ron asked.
"I don't mind," Hermione said, and pulled herself out of bed and, taking the baby, headed to Olivia's room.
* * *
"It's a slow day," Ginny said as she consulted the appointment book she and Hermione kept. "Looks like we've seen all our scheduled patients already."
"The summer vacation, I suspect," said Hermione. "Most of the clients are out of town. We'll be swamped when they get back."
"We don't have anyone else until three thirty," said Ginny. "Should I tell Harry to bring the kids by earlier? We could cut out early ourselves today."
"Sure," said Hermione. "I do feel rather guilty that I'm working on Olivia's birthday."
Ginny contacted Harry, and he arrived with the four children a half hour later. His hair looked even messier than usual and after he had given Ginny a welcoming kiss he said, "This is why we're only going to have two children." He gestured at the four children, all of whom seemed covered in one substance or another. For James it was mud, as he had clearly been trying out some Quidditch skills in the backyard. For Emma it was glitter, as she had been working on a art project and felt it appropriate to decorate herself ("I want to be shiny, too," were her words to Harry). Lily and Olivia looked relatively normal as, being only a year old, they often found their way into things. However, today they had managed to open the tin of Floo Powder, and each child's hair was a bit ashy. Ginny laughed at Harry's comment, and the picked up Lily to take her to the bathroom to clean her off.
"How my birthday girl doing?" Hermione asked as she did the same with Olivia.
"She's been pretty good all day," said Harry. "Probably could use a nap soon though." Hermione nodded, and then followed Ginny into the bathroom. Harry sat down on the couch and watch James and Emma, who were now building with the blocks Hermione and Ginny kept in the office for these very occasions.
"You almost ready for lunch?" he asked them.
"I want to see Uncle Fred and Uncle George," James said.
"Maybe on our way back from lunch," said Harry. "What do you think you want to eat?"
"I don't know." James shrugged.
"Ice cream," Emma said immediately.
"Emma," came Ron's voice suddenly. He had walked into the office unnoticed. "Emma, you know you can't have ice cream until AFTER you eat some real lunch." Emma looked at her father and rolled her eyes. Harry laughed.
"You see how she treats her father?" Ron asked as he sat down on the couch next to Harry. Harry just laughed again. "You just wait," Ron said to him. "You just wait until Lily starts doing that to you. Wait until your little baby girl starts rolling her eyes at you."
"It'll never happen," said Harry. This time, it was Ron who rolled his eyes.
* * *
As most meals in public places with four children are, the lunch the Potters and the Weasleys ate together was a near disaster. After much deliberation at the office, they had decided to simply go out for hamburgers at a local shop that Hermione and Ginny frequented often. "We are NOT taking all of these children to a fancy restaurant," Ginny said. She couldn't have been more right. When the two families left the restaurant, the area around their table looked as though a small food war had waged between the families, when in reality it was just a mess from the normal task of trying to get a 6-year-old, a 4-year-old, and two 1-year- olds to eat an entire meal in one sitting. The families certainly got some dirty looks from the wait staff that had to clean the table up when they left.
"So," said Ginny when the families were going to part, "we'll see you on Saturday, then?"
"We'd better," said Hermione.
"You think we'd miss this little girl's party?" Ginny asked, and she pinched one of Olivia's cheeks to make the little girl laugh.
"Of course not," said Hermione.
"It's okay if we come early with mum, right?" Ginny asked.
"Absolutely," Hermione said. "We'll see you then."
After a few more parting words, the families separated, each heading back to their own homes.
* * *
Hermione and Ron spent Saturday morning running around and getting ready for the little girl's birthday party. Emma helped as much as she could, mostly by moving balloons from one location to the next, but it wasn't until Mrs. Weasley and Ginny arrived that they were really able to get things going.
The guest started to arrive right on schedule. As expected, Hagrid was the first person there, always wanted to spend some more time with the children before they got swept up in the excitement of the party. He played with them in the backyard, giving the other adults even more time to get things ready. Soon, the party was in full swing.
All the usual guests had come: Hermione's parents, Ron's entire family, and as usual there was much laughing and entertaining going around. Hermione noted that she barely saw Emma the entire evening, and Olivia spent so much time being passed around that Hermione rarely saw her either. She herself let the afternoon pass by, bringing the guests the things they needed.
"Feeling all right, Luna?" she asked the now seven-months-pregnant woman as she was making a run to the kitchen.
"Fine," said Luna, and she smiled to reassure Hermione.
"How are you, Neville?" Hermione asked.
"Great!" the man answered. He had been talking to Hagrid and was clearly having a wonderful time.
"Need anything?" Hermione asked. "Something to drink?"
"No thanks," said Luna. "I'm okay." Neville shook his head as well, and Hermione headed into the house.
She was still smiling as she walked into the kitchen. There she ran into Ron, who was concentrating very hard as he looked at Olivia's birthday cake. Hermione stood where she was and watched him, still with the small smile on her face. The couple stayed in their respective placed until Ron finally looked up and saw her watching him.
He smiled widely. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked.
Hermione didn't answer. She walked towards Ron and instead asked a question of her own. "What are you doing?"
"I was trying to think of the best way to hex the candles so they wouldn't blow out," said Ron. "Or at least so they would keep relighting."
Hermione smiled and playfully punched her husband in the arm. "Ronald Weasley, don't you dare!"
"Why not?" Ron pouted.
"Because you know you're only doing it to torture me!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Of course," said Ron, and he put his arm around her and pulled her tightly against him. "Because you see, love, even after all these years, one of my greatest pleasures is to torture you."
Hermione, though smiling, opened her mouth to protest, but was unable to as Ron's lips pressed against her own.
* * *
Hermione carefully carried the cake out of the kitchen and into the backyard. As soon as the guests saw her, they began to sing. Hermione continued to make her way towards the picnic table, where Ron sat with Olivia on his lap. The baby was smiling and looking around in awe. Even though she was unlikely to remember the events of the party, somehow she knew that all the people gathered were there for her, and she seemed intent on milking it for all it was worth.
Olivia's eyes glowed as Hermione set the cake before her. She was an early lover of sweets - Hermione could only guess that was Ron's influence - and she reached a hand towards the cake in an effort to get some of the icing. She was quickly stopped by Ron however, who feared that she might reach for the candle's flame instead.
Emma stood next to Ron, waiting for the big moment she was promised - when she could help her sister blow out the birthday candles. Mrs. Weasley was snapping pictures of the kids as the guests finished singing. Hermione and Ron encouraged Olivia to blow out the candles, but the little girl was too busy poking her fingers into the frosting. Emma was getting antsy, keeping her gaze on the candle, waiting for the go ahead from Hermione.
"Can I mummy?" she finally asked.
"Looks like Olivia is not so interested," Ron added.
"Okay, Em," said Hermione, "it's all yours."
Emma smiled and took in a deep breath, puffing her cheeks out. Everyone watched as she steadied herself in front of the cake and blew with all her might. It did not take long for the one birthday candle and it's good luck counterpart to extinguish. The guests clapped, causing Olivia to finally look up from the cake frosting. She smiled and clapped right along with them.
"Okay!" Ron exclaimed, standing up. He passed Olivia to Hermione and picked up a knife. "Who's ready for cake?"
* * *
The guests stayed late into the evening, well after Olivia had conked out on the living room floor. Emma had fallen asleep as well, though she had fought her fatigue for as long as she could before crashing on the floor next to her sister.
"I think it's time we headed home," said Ginny. She and Harry were, as was most often the case, the last people to leave. Now, gesturing at the sleeping Weasley girls on the floor, and her own sleeping daughter in her arms, she and Harry thought it best to head home. "Want me to come over tomorrow? Help you straighten up?"
Hermione shook her head. "Are you crazy?" she asked. "Do something gun tomorrow before we have to work again on Monday."
"Yeah, Gin," Ron agreed. "I think we know how to clean our own house."
"If you say so," Ginny said, for the sole purpose of annoying her older brother.
"Didn't you say you were leaving?" Ron shot back.
"All right, I think we REALLY should go," Harry said, putting a hand on Ginny's shoulder to lead her to the door. He turned to James. "Ready to go, buddy?"
James yawned tiredly and leaned against Harry's leg. "No," he said. Hermione smiled.
"Night James," she said. "We'll see you soon, okay?"
"'Kay," said James with another yawn.
"Good night," Harry said, and he picked James up, no easy task anymore.
"Good night," said Ron and Hermione together, and they saw Harry, Ginny and the kids off.
Once they were gone, Ron and Hermione turned to their own sleeping children. "I get Emma, you get Olivia?" Ron asked with a smile, and Hermione nodded. They each approach one of their sleeping beauties and lifted them up.
At the stairs, Ron followed Hermione, saying "Ladies first," before she headed up. He followed her into Olivia's room and they both watched her sleep for a moment. The same was repeated in Emma's room before the couple headed to their own bedroom.
Ron was the first to get into bed, and he watched Hermione move around the bedroom, putting on a nightgown and brushing her hair. When she finally slid into bed next to him, he smiled and kissed her.
Leaning back against the headboard, he said to her, "We have perfect kids, don't we?"
Hermione smiled. "Yup," she said, and there was no mistaking the happiness and pride in her voice as she leaned against Ron. She realized that it was now the perfect opportunity to tell him some news. "Ron?" she asked.
"Yeah?" he answered, absentmindedly playing with a strand of her hair.
"I was wondering what you would think, you know, seeing as the first two turned out so perfect, if we had THREE perfect children?"
Ron stopped the motion of his hand, but didn't miss a beat in the conversation. "Are you saying that you WANT three children or that there WILL BE three children?" he asked, suddenly realizing that he hoped it was the latter option.
Hermione sat up and leaned on her knees to face him. She was smiling widely, and Ron could now see the glow in her eyes. "There WILL be three, Ron," she said. "I'm pregnant again."
Ron smiled and hugged her "I've been waiting all day to tell you that," Hermione said. "I think it happened that night in Hogsmeade. After the reunion. It looks like we're going to have another March baby."
Ron pulled away from her. "I love you," was all he said.
"I love -" was all Hermione could manage before Ron kissed her, and pulled her down. He reached over to the lamp to turn it off, but when the lights were out, he pulled away from Hermione.
"Wait a minute," he said. "Am I going to have to share my birthday with this one too?"
Hermione laughed along with him. "I thought you LIKED sharing a birthday with Emma," she said.
"I do," said Ron. "But three people in one family with the same birthday is just too many." He stretched his legs out on the bed. "Plus, I don't think Emma should share a birthday with her little brother or sister. Sharing a birthday with her dear old dad is one thing, but -"
Hermione cut him off by kissing him again, and then she followed his example and stretched her own legs out on the bed, resting her head on her pillow so that she was now looking up at him. "I don't think you - or Emma, for that matter - have anything to worry about."
"Good," said Ron, and he kissed her nose. Hermione felt him slide down so that his head was on his own pillow, and then he turned towards her. Hermione felt his arm drape over her, and she turned and moved closer to him. He crooked his chin over her head. "Love you," he murmured, and Hermione could tell that he was already dozing off.
"Love you, too," she said, and she listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and soon fell asleep herself.