Of Being A Parent – Ron
"Alex, you ate all the eggs!!"
"Oh, what a tragedy!"
Feliz Navidad …"Emily…Ems, love…if you stop talking, I'll give you a cookie."
"Stop it Alex! There are other people living in this house, too!"
"It hurts, Mum!"
Feliz Navidad…"No! Alex…don't do that with my hair!!"
"Alex, leave you sister alone!"
Feliz Navidad, Prospero Ano y Felicidad…"But I didn't do anything!!"
"Just leave her alone!!"
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas…"Ha, ha…Mum told you…"
"Argh…Rebecca…!"
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas…"MUMMY!"
"Emily, love, please stop crying…"
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas…"Alex…that's not fair…you're bigger than me!"
"You asked for it!"
From the bottom of my heart…"Leave your sister alone, Alex."
"But it's fun, Dad."
"I know it is, but you've got to stop sometime or else your mum'll get angry."
"Dad!"
"Ron!"
Feliz Navidad…"RANDALL! TURN THAT BLOODY RACKET OFF!" Hermione screamed finally. Her youngest son's Muggle stereo was immediately switched off, and the normally hectic household stood still with fear. It wasn't that often that Ron and Hermione let the usual morning clamor go up a few decibels, but little Emily was being the proper ill ten-year-old and needed all of Hermione's attention, and, unfortunately, all of the older children thought it necessary to make as much noise as possible. "Ron," she called briskly, whirling around to face her husband, "will you please stay in here and make sure Alex and Rebecca don't get into a bloody fist match? I'd much rather not having to go to St. Mungo's on Christmas."
"But Mum…it's not my fault he took all of the eggs…"
Rebecca fell silent at the look on her mother's face.
Ron nodded soundlessly, not looking at Hermione but staring at his feet, as if he were to blame. Hermione walked right past him and quickly went upstairs to get Emily, but not before she pounded on Randall's door and told him to down to eat his breakfast. "And quickly," she added, "we've got to leave for the Burrow in less than an hour."
No one spoke until they heard Emily's door close with a soft click, which caused poor Rebecca to jump a little in her seat. Alex smirked and raised his eyebrows.
"A little twitchy today, are we Beccy?" he asked smugly, using his favorite nickname for her, the one she hated more than those hideous pink jumpers Granny made her every Christmas.
"I am not twitchy," she spat out, glaring across the table at her incurable sixteen-year-old brother. A single red curl shifted out of its place on his finely maneuvered head of hair and swung around like a pendulum in front of his hazel eyes, but Alex just blew it away from his face impatiently. Like he didn't spend over an hour in front of the mirror making sure it was absolutely perfect. Rebecca scoffed in disgust. "You are such a pretty boy, Alex."
"So what if I am?" said Alex with an air of superiority. "It'd be better than looking like you."
Rebecca put her hand across her chest in mock disappointment and said sarcastically, "Oh, that really hurt." Then she rolled her eyes, and turned her head to look at Ron. "Dad, may I have some eggs please? Your son ate the last of them."
"Oh really?" Ron raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure? I'm not sure I heard you the other twenty times you mentioned that."
"You're exaggerating, Dad," Rebecca pointed out. "Mum says it's not necessary to exaggerate."
"She also says it's not necessary to do things by magic all the time, but when's the last time you saw her clean the dishes with her hands?" said Alex. "Eh, Beccy?"
"Shut up, Alex."
"Oh, real witty—"
"Stop it," said Ron, placing a basket of biscuits in between the bickering children. "You two…I swear…what is the problem? Alex, I never fought this much with your aunt."
"Yeah, well Aunt Ginny isn't exactly as annoying as your daughter is," said Alex irritably.
"…don't see why she's got to get mad at me…I was just listening to that music for my—"
"Muggle Studies class!" grumbled Rebecca. "Goodness, Randy…we know…you've been listening to that bloody song all holiday."
"Don't swear…your mother will think I put you up to it," said Ron, as Randy seated himself next to his twin. Rebecca scrutinized him closely.
"You didn't go to sleep last night," she said finally, biting out of a biscuit. Randy looked slightly scared, while Alex looked from Rebecca to Randall with a bemused expression, his mouth full of food. Swallowing it, he said, "Why do you always do that, Beccy? Is it the nutter twin-thing?"
Rebecca ignored him and sighed deeply. "Anyway…why didn't you go to sleep last night, Randy?"
"Yes, Randy, I'm interested in that as well." Ron grinned and sat next to Alex at the table. "Why didn't you go to sleep last night?"
Randy's blue eyes went wide and Ron realized for the first time that he really did look extremely tired. He had noticeable bags under his eyes, he was unusually pale, and his hair was standing up on end. It was as if an array of copper wires were sticking out of his head.
Randy's shoulders went kind of spastic and he looked down at the basket of biscuits. "Dunno…I was just doing some work." But his red ears gave him away. He was up to something.
"Honestly Randy," said Rebecca, making it very obvious that she did not believe him in the slightest. "Am I going to have to go search your room?"
"Yes, Randy," said Ron, grinning, "is Rebecca going to have to search your room?"
Randy shook his head quickly. "No…it's nothing like that. I was just…communicating…with a friend, using Medley," he added smartly, nodding a little.
"You were using my owl to talk to one of your friends!" Rebecca accused him, looking scandalized. "But—but Medley is old! And that's not something you'd do, Randy…that's—that's something Alex would!"
"Yeah it is," Alex piped up, smiling at Randy. "Good job, bro."
Randy blushed a little, but regained himself when Rebecca looked at him like he was a revolting toad.
"So, Randy, just whom were you talking to?" Alex inquired, looking interested. "Was it a girl?"
Randy blushed deeper and looked down at his plate.
"Well I'll be—"
"Alex," said Ron warningly before looking back at Randy. "You were up all night talking to a girl?"
Randy nodded, looking rather miserable. "Yes…I don't think I'm very hungry right now, Dad. I'll just eat at the Burrow."
"You sure?" said Ron, looking at Randy closely. "If you want something, mate, you've got to get it now. Your brother's gonna eat everything."
"You're exaggerating, Dad," said Alex, making his voice high-pitched to emulate Rebecca's. Rebecca glared at him, and almost a second later, Alex let out a growl of pain and reached under the table to massage his shin; he swore under his breath and sent a death glare his sister's way.
"Rebecca," said Ron, frowning. "Don't kick your brother unless it's for humorous purposes."
"Ron!!"
Ron's eyes went wide and he jumped up from his chair. Looking down at his children, he said, "Do you reckon she heard me?"
They just laughed.
"Ron! Come here please!"
"Oh, right," said Ron. "Do you think you lot can stay down here without my supervision?"
"Yes," said Alex, though he looked like he had something up his sleeve. Ron raised his eyebrows.
"Don't worry, Dad," said Rebecca haughtily. "I'll keep an eye on them."
"I bet you will, Beccy," said Ron, chuckling. Alex scowled.
"RONALD WEASLEY!!"
"I'm coming, Hermione!" he called as he climbed up the stairs to Emily's room. Hermione wasn't in there, but Emily was, and she was snuggled up tightly in her bed, fast asleep and looking quite peaceful. Her chestnut curls were splayed out on her pillow and, although very little, she took up the entire bed with nearly every end of her sprawled out on the mattress. Ron grinned; she looked exactly like Hermione.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" said Hermione, startling Ron a little. He looked down at her and agreed with a nod. "And so are Alex, and Rebecca, and Randy. They're all beautiful."
Ron nodded with a content sigh. "Yes they are." He tore his eyes away from his youngest daughter and looked down at his wife. "You needed me?"
"Oh, yes…" said Hermione. "Are they done eating?"
Ron shook his head. "No…Rebecca and Alex had their little row—"
"Ron, you were supposed to be making sure they didn't have their little row!"
"—Hermione, what's the harm in rows? I used to have them all the time with you. Don't you remember?"
Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it and frowned. "Yes. You have a point. I suppose… Anyway," she went on, "has Randy eaten yet?"
"He's not hungry," said Ron with a grin.
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Why not?"
"He spent the night writing to his girlfriend."
Hermione's jaw dropped, and she stared up at Ron with a shocked expression. "Are you serious? Randy has a girlfriend? That's so adorable…"
"Don't tell him that," Ron whispered, as he and Hermione walked into their room. "He's embarrassed by it."
"Why?" Hermione smiled. "I think it's cute."
"I'm sure you do, love," said Ron, as he pulled off his shirt. He walked into the loo to brush his teeth, but was interested to see Hermione follow him. She had a look of rebellion on her face as she climb up onto the counter and grinned at him wickedly. Ron raised his eyebrows. "What's on your mind, 'Mione?"
"Well," she said, biting her lip as she draped her arms over his shoulders, "we have a little more than half an hour before we have to leave for the Burrow." She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips. "And Emily's asleep." She kissed him a little more deeply. "And Alex and the twins are downstairs…if we're quiet…" But she didn't get the chance to finish her sentence; Ron had attacked her in a feverous kiss, showing her just how much he loved her. One hand was trapped in her curly mass, while the other was wrapped around her waist and holding her close. Hermione's legs were wrapped around Ron's mid-riff, and her hands raked on Ron's bare-back. They continued to kiss for what seemed like an eternity, re-exploring the territory they hadn't shared with each other in quite a while. Ron had only just managed to unbutton the very last button of Hermione's blouse, when they were drastically interrupted.
"MUMMY!" called Emily shrilly.
Hermione closed her eyes and rested her head in the crook of Ron's neck to catch her breath. "I'm coming, Emily!" she called back. "I just need a moment." She sighed and proceeded to button back up her shirt, when Ron stopped her. He had a very intense look on her face that almost scared her. "What is it?"
"I love you," he said genuinely, and the kissed once again.
"I love you, too." Hermione smiled. "But duty calls."
Ron nodded. "I'll get them ready downstairs."
"And I'll get Emily." She slid off of the counter and checked herself in the mirror to make sure everything was in tact. When she was satisfied, she nodded slightly to herself and left the room.
Ron had to calm himself down. Not only had he and Hermione almost had sex in the middle of a very hectic Christmas morning, but he was now very, very aroused and it was very, very noticeable. He knew he couldn't go downstairs like this, especially with Alex in the room.
Come to think of it…I still haven't had "the talk" with him…I doubt he needs it.
Right.
Ron nodded reassuringly and left the loo. It was time to be a parent again.
A/N: I really hope you enjoyed it. The beginning of this chapter was based on true events, seeing as I am a child of four and there are many a chaotic morning.Please review!