Life
By: Kyle Kamie
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to J. K. Rowling, as I am sure you know. I don't get anything out of this execpt maybe the reviews (which I admit I worship as much as I worship the reviewers). I really only have one request… I hope you enjoy it.
Summary: Molly and Ron have a midnight mother/son talk.
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Molly Weasley gave a small sigh and carefully extracted herself from her husband's arms, hoping not to wake him. Her attempt was futile though, Arthur was always aware when his wife got up in the middle of the night.
"You ok sweetie?" He asked her sleepily. Molly smiled at her husband.
"Yes, go back to sleep." Arthur sighed and rolled over. Molly sat for a moment. Her intuition told her that one of her children was unable to sleep. She quietly made her way down to the kitchen and put a kettle on the hearth. She was just adding a tea bag to the boiling water when a soft voice spoke up.
"Mum? I thought you'd be asleep." Molly turned to her youngest son. Fifteen-year-old Ron Weasley was standing in the doorway in his pyjamas. Molly made sure to note that he needed new ones, the pants were too short and the shirt seemed a bit too small. She smiled at him.
"A mother always knows when one of her children need to talk." She told him and pointed to a chair. Ron sat down and hugged himself while his mother went about making the tea. He stayed silent through the processes and only gave a quiet 'thanks' when Molly put a mug in front of him. He took a sip as his mother sat down across from him with her own mug. The two of them sat in silence for a while sipping their tea. Molly knew her children and knew that Ron would just close up if she pressed the matter. He needed to bring up the matter himself. Molly watched as Ron finished his drink and put the mug down on the table in front of him.
"Mum…" Ron was staring at a spot on the table and Molly could see a troubled look in his eyes. "Do you… Do you ever wish there weren't so many of us?" He asked looking up at her.
"What ever do you mean Ron?" She asked. He sighed and looked out the window.
"I mean, seven kids. And dad doesn't make that much money. You and he have had to give up so much just make ends meet. How can you not regret it?" The look in her son's eyes was painful. She hated seeing that look in any ones eyes, let alone one of her own children. She stood up, walked around the table and sat beside him.
"Ron, there is no reason for me to regret having any of you." He looked up at her and she could tell he was not convinced.
"When your father and I got married we had a plan. We had set out to have four beautiful children." She watched him as she said this, "But then, of course the fourth pregnancy landed us with five children and I admit we had hoped to stop there. For one thing, the twins were… well, difficult to deal with. When I found out I was pregnant again it was a bit of a shock. Money was all ready tight and we weren't sure how we were going to do it. But Ron, you have to understand, the first time you hold your own child, that sweet little human that you helped create… It is the most amazing thing in the world. Nothing, nothing compares to it, You feel so happy, so amazingly wonderful that words can't explain, and worried, scared at the same time. Scared that something would go wrong, that you wouldn't be able to protect them for all the bad things. And with You-Know-Who out there doing what he was doing, well it made it all that special, because in the middle of all that fear, and death and all the terrible things here was this sweet, innocent new life to show you all the good things that were still there. You were a surprise Ron, and so was Ginny, but the two of you were the best sort of surprises a person can get. I don't regret having any of you. Though I do sometimes regret not being able to give you all everything you want, I take pride in knowing that your father and I have given all our children everything they need. Even if it means a few sacrifices on our part." Ron was watching her; he had tears in his eyes. Molly put her arm around him and pulled him close, something he hadn't let her do in years. They stayed like that, silent, for a while before Molly spoke again.
"Some day Ron, you will know what it's like to have children and you will understand everything so much better." Ron pulled back and wiped his eyes quickly on his sleeve. Molly smiled.
"Now, I think it's time the both of us headed back to bed. We have to be up early tomorrow after all." She said. Ron nodded.
ooo
Ten years later Ron did understand better what his mother had said. She had tried her best to explain what becoming a parent felt like, but even the best poet in the world was incapable of such a feat. But Ron figured it out, sitting, waiting, worrying in St. Mungos. Outside the room where his wife was; when finally he was taken inside and he saw him. Fuzz of red hair covering his somewhat misshapen head (though the Mediwitch promised that would fix itself). He was afraid to touch the new life, so small and helpless. He was afraid that if he picked up his son he might hurt him, or drop him, or maybe just never let go. He looked at his wife, tired and sweaty and crying and he swallowed hard. Tears sprang to his eyes as the healer handed him the little bundle, and one escaped and made a path down his cheek as he looked at the woman he would spend the rest of his life with and said…
"He's beautiful, Hermione."