Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, so brilliantly created by
J.K. Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Author's Note: I have decided to post an extended/updated version of "The Last Two Years" on checkmated.com, for those interested. I am fixing the stories and extending some of the chapters. At some point, I will also post "Hogwarts Reunion" and "The Weasley Kids!" I, of course, will continue "The Weasley Kids" here as well! (By the way, my author name there is "Kelerr.")
Chapter Sixteen: Summer Interlude
Ron and Hermione awoke to the sound of silence. "The beauty of summer vacation," said Hermione, "is that the kids sleep in as well." She laughed softly, causing Ron to laugh as well.
"Perhaps we should do the same," said Ron with a long yawn and he stretched his arms above his head and feigned going back to sleep.
"Oh no, you don't!" Hermione exclaimed, and she reached over and tickled him on the side, where she knew he was extremely sensitive. Ron made a noble effort at pretending to sleep, but soon a small smile crept across his face. He opened his eyes and looked at his wife. She smiled at him and kissed him. "Come on," she said softly. "Let's go have a nice quiet breakfast before they wake up."
"I'm not hungry," Ron said simply.
Hermione looked at him with a concerned expression. "Are you feeling all right?" She placed a hand on his forehead to ascertain if he had a fever.
Ron laughed at her. "I'm fine, Hermione," he said. "I just thought think there are much better things to do this morning. We can have breakfast later." With that, he leaned over and kissed her, with as much passion as he had when they had first gotten together so many years before.
"You're right," Hermione said breathlessly when he pulled away from her. "We can eat anytime." After casting a quick silencing charm around the room, she turned her attention back to her husband.
* * *
When the couple finally forced themselves out of bed and downstairs, they found the house suddenly a buzz with excitement. Emma and Olivia were in the kitchen, and they had prepared breakfast for Jack and Charlotte, as well as Ron and Hermione. "What a lovely surprise," Hermione said when she came in the room, and she kissed each of her daughters on the forehead.
"We thought we'd let you sleep," Emma, now fourteen, said to them.
"Very thoughtful," said Ron.
"And we made you breakfast," said Olivia eagerly, showing them the plates.
"Thank you," said Hermione, and she sat down in the chair Olivia was holding out for her.
"Are you going to join us?" Ron asked the girls as he took his own seat. They shook their heads.
"We ate already," Emma explained. "So did Jack and Charlotte. They're out in the yard already." A quick glance out the kitchen window showed Jack and Charlotte in their usual "zones" of the yard. Charlotte, now nearly six years old, was lying on her stomach in the grass, barefoot, reading a book. Hermione noticed she was still in her pajamas. Eight-year-old Jack was chasing a Snitch around the backyard, though not having much luck with it as he was on foot rather than a broomstick.
"Do we have a little Seeker-in-Training?" Hermione asked Ron as they watched the kids outside.
"Possible," said Ron. "But then again, he's a pretty fair chaser too."
"Can I try out for Quidditch when I go to Hogwarts?" Olivia asked. "I want to play Keeper like you did dad."
Ron smiled proudly at the eleven-year-old. The family expected her acceptance letter any day now. "You can definitely try out," said Ron. "You should ask James if they have any spots open on the team."
"They do," Emma said, joining into the conversation. "They have two I think. The keeper just left – he graduated, and one of the beaters too." She looked down at Olivia. "I'm sure James would put you on the team if you asked him."
"I want to try out though," said Olivia. "I don't want to get on the team just because my cousin is the captain." James, now sixteen and soon to be a sixth year at Hogwarts, had been made the captain of the Quidditch team at the end of the last school year, appointed by the former captain who graduated. Her tone changed. "That is, if I get in."
Hermione cocked her head to one side and was about to reassure Olivia when Emma spoke up. "You'll get in, Livvie," she said. "How could you NOT? You're a WEASLEY."
"And half Granger," Ron added. "They need your brains at the school." Olivia smiled.
"Did Lily get her letter yet?" Emma asked. Olivia shook her head.
"She hasn't told me, if she did," Olivia said.
"Soon, I expect," said Ron.
* * *
After Ron and Hermione had eaten their breakfast, they joined Jack and Charlotte in the backyard. Ron took a seat next to Charlotte in the grass. "What are you reading love?" he asked her.
She squinted up at her father. "Fairy tales," she said. "I don't like this one though."
"What's it about?" Ron asked.
"A girl sleeps on twenty mattresses and she still feels a pea?" Charlotte asked. "That's ridiculous."
"How come?" Ron asked.
"Because I pea is, like, this big." Charlotte took her fingers and held them together to create a very small opening. "And twenty mattresses are bigger than YOU are."
Ron laughed. "I see your point," said Ron. "But isn't it just a story?"
"A silly one," said Charlotte.
"So? Don't you like silly things sometimes?" he asked her.
"I guess so. I just really don't believe that a girl would feel a pea under a mattress."
"So you might say it's like magic?" Ron suggested.
Charlotte's face changed, and a new comprehension dawned. "See that?" said Ron. "A lot of people don't believe in magic, but we know it's real, don't we?"
Charlotte smiled at her father. "You're right, daddy! I suppose maybe she DID feel the pea."
"Maybe," said Ron.
"Can I try it sometime?" she asked. "To see if I'm a princess."
"I suppose," said Ron nonchalantly, "but I don't really see why you need to."
"How come?" Charlotte asked.
Ron leaned in conspiratorially. "See, the thing is, you're already a princess."
Charlotte's eyes widened. "I am?!" she asked in disbelief.
"Well, to me you are, and to your mum. You and Emma and Olivia," he explained. "And Jack's the prince."
"Oh, so not a real one," Charlotte said, but she didn't seem disappointed. She looked around the yard. Emma and Olivia were now outside as well, Emma braiding her sister's hair. "Am I the HEAD princess?"
"Of course," Ron said. Charlotte smiled.
"Good," she said, and without another word she stood, handed Ron her book and went to join her sisters.
"Here comes the post," Hermione said, coming up behind him and shielding her eyes to the sun as she watched the family owl soar towards the house. The bird, however, passed the house and dropped the mail directly into Ron's lap. Hermione sat next to him and pulled the "Daily Prophet" from out of the midst of the letters.
"Anything interesting?" she asked Ron as she started going through the newspaper.
"Not much," said Ron. "Letter from Neville, a bill, Emma's Hogwarts letter..... Wait a minute! Olivia's got one too!"
Hermione turned her head to the pile of mail Ron was looking at and saw the familiar green ink on the envelope addressed to Olivia Weasley. The couple looked at each other before looking towards their daughters. "Olivia!" Hermione called out. "Come and get your mail."
"I got mail?!" Olivia asked, excited and a little breathless after she had run up to her parents.
Ron smiled and held out the letter for her. "From Hogwarts," he said.
Olivia looked suddenly nervous. "Should I open it?" she asked.
"Of course," said Hermione. "Why wouldn't you?"
"I'm afraid," said Olivia.
"Don't be," said Ron. "I know you're in."
Olivia looked at her father and met his eyes. Gaining the courage, she slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside. "Dear Miss. Weasley," she read, and she smiled widely as her eyes scanned the next words. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She paused and looked up. "I got in!"
Ron and Hermione smiled at her, though they knew there was no question that their second daughter would get into the school. Though they had been ninety-nine percent certain she would be before, Harry had informed them that she was definitely on the list for the coming year. They had decided not to tell her so that she could experience getting her letter just as Emma had three years prior.
"Emma!" Olivia called out. "Charlotte! Jack!" She looked around the yard for her sisters and brother. "I got my Hogwarts letter! I'm going in September!" The other children joined the small group and celebrated with their sister.
"I'm next!" Jack said proudly.
"What do you say we all go out for dinner tonight," Ron suggested. "To celebrate."
"That sounds lovely," said Hermione. "Anywhere you want, Olivia."
Olivia was excited to have the power to choose the place they would spend the evening, and she spent much of the next two hours trying to decide. She finally chose one of her favorite places in town, and the family headed out that night, happy and ready to celebrate.
Author's Note: I have decided to post an extended/updated version of "The Last Two Years" on checkmated.com, for those interested. I am fixing the stories and extending some of the chapters. At some point, I will also post "Hogwarts Reunion" and "The Weasley Kids!" I, of course, will continue "The Weasley Kids" here as well! (By the way, my author name there is "Kelerr.")
Chapter Sixteen: Summer Interlude
Ron and Hermione awoke to the sound of silence. "The beauty of summer vacation," said Hermione, "is that the kids sleep in as well." She laughed softly, causing Ron to laugh as well.
"Perhaps we should do the same," said Ron with a long yawn and he stretched his arms above his head and feigned going back to sleep.
"Oh no, you don't!" Hermione exclaimed, and she reached over and tickled him on the side, where she knew he was extremely sensitive. Ron made a noble effort at pretending to sleep, but soon a small smile crept across his face. He opened his eyes and looked at his wife. She smiled at him and kissed him. "Come on," she said softly. "Let's go have a nice quiet breakfast before they wake up."
"I'm not hungry," Ron said simply.
Hermione looked at him with a concerned expression. "Are you feeling all right?" She placed a hand on his forehead to ascertain if he had a fever.
Ron laughed at her. "I'm fine, Hermione," he said. "I just thought think there are much better things to do this morning. We can have breakfast later." With that, he leaned over and kissed her, with as much passion as he had when they had first gotten together so many years before.
"You're right," Hermione said breathlessly when he pulled away from her. "We can eat anytime." After casting a quick silencing charm around the room, she turned her attention back to her husband.
* * *
When the couple finally forced themselves out of bed and downstairs, they found the house suddenly a buzz with excitement. Emma and Olivia were in the kitchen, and they had prepared breakfast for Jack and Charlotte, as well as Ron and Hermione. "What a lovely surprise," Hermione said when she came in the room, and she kissed each of her daughters on the forehead.
"We thought we'd let you sleep," Emma, now fourteen, said to them.
"Very thoughtful," said Ron.
"And we made you breakfast," said Olivia eagerly, showing them the plates.
"Thank you," said Hermione, and she sat down in the chair Olivia was holding out for her.
"Are you going to join us?" Ron asked the girls as he took his own seat. They shook their heads.
"We ate already," Emma explained. "So did Jack and Charlotte. They're out in the yard already." A quick glance out the kitchen window showed Jack and Charlotte in their usual "zones" of the yard. Charlotte, now nearly six years old, was lying on her stomach in the grass, barefoot, reading a book. Hermione noticed she was still in her pajamas. Eight-year-old Jack was chasing a Snitch around the backyard, though not having much luck with it as he was on foot rather than a broomstick.
"Do we have a little Seeker-in-Training?" Hermione asked Ron as they watched the kids outside.
"Possible," said Ron. "But then again, he's a pretty fair chaser too."
"Can I try out for Quidditch when I go to Hogwarts?" Olivia asked. "I want to play Keeper like you did dad."
Ron smiled proudly at the eleven-year-old. The family expected her acceptance letter any day now. "You can definitely try out," said Ron. "You should ask James if they have any spots open on the team."
"They do," Emma said, joining into the conversation. "They have two I think. The keeper just left – he graduated, and one of the beaters too." She looked down at Olivia. "I'm sure James would put you on the team if you asked him."
"I want to try out though," said Olivia. "I don't want to get on the team just because my cousin is the captain." James, now sixteen and soon to be a sixth year at Hogwarts, had been made the captain of the Quidditch team at the end of the last school year, appointed by the former captain who graduated. Her tone changed. "That is, if I get in."
Hermione cocked her head to one side and was about to reassure Olivia when Emma spoke up. "You'll get in, Livvie," she said. "How could you NOT? You're a WEASLEY."
"And half Granger," Ron added. "They need your brains at the school." Olivia smiled.
"Did Lily get her letter yet?" Emma asked. Olivia shook her head.
"She hasn't told me, if she did," Olivia said.
"Soon, I expect," said Ron.
* * *
After Ron and Hermione had eaten their breakfast, they joined Jack and Charlotte in the backyard. Ron took a seat next to Charlotte in the grass. "What are you reading love?" he asked her.
She squinted up at her father. "Fairy tales," she said. "I don't like this one though."
"What's it about?" Ron asked.
"A girl sleeps on twenty mattresses and she still feels a pea?" Charlotte asked. "That's ridiculous."
"How come?" Ron asked.
"Because I pea is, like, this big." Charlotte took her fingers and held them together to create a very small opening. "And twenty mattresses are bigger than YOU are."
Ron laughed. "I see your point," said Ron. "But isn't it just a story?"
"A silly one," said Charlotte.
"So? Don't you like silly things sometimes?" he asked her.
"I guess so. I just really don't believe that a girl would feel a pea under a mattress."
"So you might say it's like magic?" Ron suggested.
Charlotte's face changed, and a new comprehension dawned. "See that?" said Ron. "A lot of people don't believe in magic, but we know it's real, don't we?"
Charlotte smiled at her father. "You're right, daddy! I suppose maybe she DID feel the pea."
"Maybe," said Ron.
"Can I try it sometime?" she asked. "To see if I'm a princess."
"I suppose," said Ron nonchalantly, "but I don't really see why you need to."
"How come?" Charlotte asked.
Ron leaned in conspiratorially. "See, the thing is, you're already a princess."
Charlotte's eyes widened. "I am?!" she asked in disbelief.
"Well, to me you are, and to your mum. You and Emma and Olivia," he explained. "And Jack's the prince."
"Oh, so not a real one," Charlotte said, but she didn't seem disappointed. She looked around the yard. Emma and Olivia were now outside as well, Emma braiding her sister's hair. "Am I the HEAD princess?"
"Of course," Ron said. Charlotte smiled.
"Good," she said, and without another word she stood, handed Ron her book and went to join her sisters.
"Here comes the post," Hermione said, coming up behind him and shielding her eyes to the sun as she watched the family owl soar towards the house. The bird, however, passed the house and dropped the mail directly into Ron's lap. Hermione sat next to him and pulled the "Daily Prophet" from out of the midst of the letters.
"Anything interesting?" she asked Ron as she started going through the newspaper.
"Not much," said Ron. "Letter from Neville, a bill, Emma's Hogwarts letter..... Wait a minute! Olivia's got one too!"
Hermione turned her head to the pile of mail Ron was looking at and saw the familiar green ink on the envelope addressed to Olivia Weasley. The couple looked at each other before looking towards their daughters. "Olivia!" Hermione called out. "Come and get your mail."
"I got mail?!" Olivia asked, excited and a little breathless after she had run up to her parents.
Ron smiled and held out the letter for her. "From Hogwarts," he said.
Olivia looked suddenly nervous. "Should I open it?" she asked.
"Of course," said Hermione. "Why wouldn't you?"
"I'm afraid," said Olivia.
"Don't be," said Ron. "I know you're in."
Olivia looked at her father and met his eyes. Gaining the courage, she slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside. "Dear Miss. Weasley," she read, and she smiled widely as her eyes scanned the next words. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She paused and looked up. "I got in!"
Ron and Hermione smiled at her, though they knew there was no question that their second daughter would get into the school. Though they had been ninety-nine percent certain she would be before, Harry had informed them that she was definitely on the list for the coming year. They had decided not to tell her so that she could experience getting her letter just as Emma had three years prior.
"Emma!" Olivia called out. "Charlotte! Jack!" She looked around the yard for her sisters and brother. "I got my Hogwarts letter! I'm going in September!" The other children joined the small group and celebrated with their sister.
"I'm next!" Jack said proudly.
"What do you say we all go out for dinner tonight," Ron suggested. "To celebrate."
"That sounds lovely," said Hermione. "Anywhere you want, Olivia."
Olivia was excited to have the power to choose the place they would spend the evening, and she spent much of the next two hours trying to decide. She finally chose one of her favorite places in town, and the family headed out that night, happy and ready to celebrate.