Little Reminder: The fabulous world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, no matter how much I may want it. Thus, I credit JKR for her amazing work.

Chapter Seven Upstairs, Downstairs

Jennifer sighed deeply, "I told you Mom, I didn't mean to knock him out. It just happened."

Hermione raised a quizzical eyebrow, "Didn't mean to knock him out? That, Jennifer, is like saying Ron and Harry hate each other. It's not true and you know it."

Jenny blushed furiously, "I was only defending myself, Mom. Da, you're an Auror, did Mom ever say anything like that to you when you fought?"

Ron looked sheepish as he picked up his daughter, "Hermione wasn't there to yell. I have to agree with her though, fighting will only bring you trouble in the end. I guarantee it. Now, both of you, let's forget this and spend this Christmas as one. Jenny, if I remember correctly, bed time."

Jenny giggled as Ron tossed her over his shoulder, took her through the new house and carried her upstairs to her new bedroom. Thanks to her father and Harry, Jenny's room looked like her one back in Ohio. Jinx, who had been brought over with Crookshanks when her mother had cleared out their old place, was curled up at the end of her bed. Avoiding the sleeping kitten, Ron put Jenny to bed and got up to leave.

"Jennifer, before you go to sleep could you tell me what happened, in your own words?" asked Ron softly.

Jenny sighed, "I was just trying to do my homework in the library, when this fist came out of nowhere; I ducked and I got out of my chair," Jenny paused for a moment then waved her hand dismissively, "I forget how. Anyways, it was this bully, Angus Flint; he decided that I needed to learn who was in control. He tried to hit me again and I did everything that Jinx does: biting, scratching and kicking. He was lucky that the librarian found us or I wouldn't have stopped, I know it's a bad thought, but I wanted to show him that I wasn't some pawn… like in your chess set. Anyways, he knows better, now, than to attack me or my friends. Plus, Professor Brown taught him a thing or two. And I didn't need Alan Potter to help me."

Ron seemed to think twice and sat down next to Jenny, "Jennifer, I know your mother told you fighting is wrong," Ron paused as a grin spread across his face, "but that's wicked! Not many eleven-year old girls can hold their own against a boy who is twice their size," Ron gave his daughter a sideways look, "and what does Alan have to do with this; do I need to throttle him?"

Jenny sat up a little straighter in bed grinning slightly, "No, Da, that's my job… How do you know how big Flint is?"

Ron cringed at his loose tongue, "Your Uncle Charlie told me after he and Professor Brown discussed it. He seemed to think it was important."

Jenny looked thoughtful for a moment, "Why would Professor Brown talk to Uncle Charlie about my fight? She is Head of Gryffindor, not him."

Ron sighed deeply, "Who knows. But its time you went to sleep. Your mother and I will be down the hall if you need anything."

"I love you, Da."

Ron looked thoughtful for a moment, "I guess I'll love you, if I must."

A crooked grin that put Ron to shame spread over Jenny's face and she gave him a hug, "Night."

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Ron walked to the door and turned off the light but left the door open. With the hall light giving the room a soft glow, he could see his daughter as she drifted off to sleep. Remembering the story that Charlie had told Ron and Hermione, where an eleven year old girl had gotten in a fight with a bigger boy and come out better off. It wasn't until after Ron had stopped laughing that Charlie had told him that it was his daughter. Remembering the look of horror on Hermione's face made him chuckle as he walked down the hall to their bedroom. Entering the spacious bedroom, Ron's eyes fell on Hermione as she attempted to brush her hair.

"You know magic makes that a lot easier," commented Ron as he took off his shirt and threw it into the hamper in the corner by the adjoining bathroom.

"It's calming," simply stated Hermione as she continued to run the brush through her frizzy hair.

Ron chuckled and gave her a hug around the shoulders, "You mean you're not already calm? Now here I was, thinking that you were fine after that small display."

Hermione set her brush down and turned to face him, "Ron, this isn't the first time since coming here that she has gotten into a fight. You remember your family's party, don't you? She seems to go off these days at the drop of a hat. I realize that this time it was in self defense but what if next time it isn't? I don't want her taking on someone who is going to hurt her badly."

"Hermione, you can't make her be safe, she is mine after all. I think the only way we are going to address this issue is by teaching her good judgment and how to defend herself. Besides that there isn't much else we can do. I'll teach her some Yoga and Tai Chi until she returns to Hogwarts; it will give her something to work on and focus her energy. Plus…"

Hermione cut in sharply, "I refuse to have you teach our daughter anything you learned from the job. She doesn't need to know anything about combat. You said it yourself; it will get her in trouble. She's here to learn magic, not fighting!"

Ron stepped back from Hermione and spoke sharply, "If I recall correctly, you fought Deatheaters beside Harry and I in our fifth year. You mean to tell me, that if your daughter was put into the same situation you would have her step aside? Don't bother to lie, Hermione, I remember well enough that you didn't, and you shouldn't expect your daughter to do anything less. We have faced some of the world's greatest terrors and we know what is out there. Not letting Jenny know how to stay safe, is not giving her any favors."

Hermione stood up, "I have not spent the past eleven years, raising my daughter, to have her die before her time."

"Who are you to decide when that time is? You can't protect her forever!" thundered Ron.

"If this is how you feel about it, Ronald, maybe I should reconsider marriage! I don't want Jenny to have a reckless man for a father!" spat Hermione.

"Fine, Hermione, don't marry me. But I want you to know that it won't keep me from being with her. NEVER AGAIN!" declared Ron as he reached for the doorknob.

Wrenching the door open, Ron stepped out into the hall and shut the door hard behind him. It was only then that he realized that Jenny was just down the hall and he had probably just woken her up. Sighing deeply, Ron headed downstairs and plopped down on the couch for a long, uncomfortable night.

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Jenny, however, had woken much earlier than Ron slamming the door; actually she had heard most of the conversation. When she had heard the door slamming she had sat up, expecting one of the adults to come past her room. But no one came, and Jenny heard footsteps heading downstairs. Quietly leaving her room, Jenny wandered downstairs and saw her father spread out on the couch.

"Da…"

Ron looked up, "Jenny, you're up; is everything okay?"

Jenny nodded and walked over to the couch as Ron sat up, "Da, why won't Mommy let me learn Yoga? I liked it when the monk taught me. I was good at it too, Mommy said so."

Ron chuckled, so Hermione had her learning Yoga, "Sweetie, Mommy can't begin to imagine everything that is out there to harm a little girl. I have spent the past ten years facing some of this world's darkest things. But let's not discuss that… You should to back up to bed."

Jenny nodded in agreement and turned to leave before a thought hit her. Turning back to her father, Jenny asked Ron, "Are you sleeping on the couch, Da?"

Ron sighed; he really didn't want to answer that one. Jenny knew that the silence meant he was before Ron could say anything. She lay down on the couch and smiled at her father. Ron was touched by Jenny's loyalty. Smiling, father and daughter drifted off to sleep…

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Hermione was up most of the night; she hadn't slept alone since Jenny had gone off to Hogwarts. Around seven Hermione decided she had had enough and went downstairs to start breakfast. However, she wasn't expecting the sight that met her eyes.

Ron and Jennifer were sound asleep on the couch. Ron had his arm protectively rapped around his daughter who was curled up against him. The pair were so sweet and honest that Hermione felt her heart melt. A small smile played across her lips as she silently called her camera to her hands. Unable to resist, Hermione took a picture of the pair.

Years of training had Ron sitting bolt upright, wand pointing straight at Hermione's face as he protected their daughter. Ron's eyes widened as he realized who was in front of him. With a look of apology on his face he lowered his wand. It was only then that Hermione saw that Jenny was awake; the look of amusement was something that Hermione couldn't measure.

"That was cool Da! You weren't even awake! Will you teach me that too!"

Ron looked up at Hermione and opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione cut in, "Of course he will."

Jenny's eyes got big, "You promise?"

Hermione smiled and nodded, Jenny jumped up and gave her mother a hug. Looking at her father, Jenny grinned from ear to ear, "Da, does this mean you are sleeping upstairs tonight?"

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The last few days before Christmas were quiet, save the hour or so where Jenny bounced off the walls at the news of her parents wedding in the spring, which would be held after the end of term of course.

Jenny had spent the first few days familiarizing herself with her parents' new house. The first floor, held a basic kitchen, with a dining out cove, living room, and her parents' two offices. The second floor held the bathroom, her parents' room and Jenny's bedroom.

After her father and Harry had gone to great lengths to have her room match the room back in Ohio, and there were at least three layers of paint on the room's walls and that fresh paint smell was still slightly apparent. Jenny was in love with the unicorn foal statue Ron had bought her as a "warming gift." The statue sat in the corner of the room and was of a pair of unicorn foals; one standing watch over its sibling while lay beneath it, sound asleep.

Hermione had claimed a room next to the kitchen as her office and was always happy to show her daughter the newest of her projects for St. Mungo's. The smallish room felt like a captains quarters and after her parents fight was sure that it suited the house's captain. Ron spent a great deal of time in a room downstairs that he told Jenny was his "dangerous office." However, Ron was not so inviting; Jenny made it a point to check on the room whenever she could, for she was a curious soul after all. Every time she checked the door, it was locked. Not just normally but magically too, until the afternoon before Christmas.

Jenny had wandered downstairs one evening before dinner is search of Jinx and noticed the door was ajar. Forgetting the cat, Jenny slipped inside the room with as little noise as possible.

Ron sat cross-legged with his palms open on his knees in the middle of the room. The walls were lined with wanted posters of dangerous wizards and a large oak desk was in front of the window. The desk and floor was slightly cluttered around the edges and had a very, manly, lived in look. The room wasn't the most inviting in the house but Jenny felt sure that her father's office at work would be worse. The lights were low and the air felt, different. Stepping deeper in the room Jenny bumped into something solid. Puzzled, Jenny tried again, yet something wasn't letting her pass.

"One second sweetheart," said Ron is a very eerie, soft voice.

Jenny stood patiently as her father lowered the barrier that was around him. Once she could step through she walked over to him and sat down across from him. Mimicking his sitting style she looked back up at him and gave him an expectant look.

Ron chuckled, "I get it. You want to learn something from me? Ummm, Hermione says you know something of Yoga and meditating. Let's just try and see how much you remember."

Jenny nodded and closed her eyes. Ron automatically put the barrier back up around Jenny and himself; it had been his experience in the past that a wizard in meditation tends to give off energy. Waving a hand in front of his eyes and muttering a short spell under his breath, Ron looked again at his daughter, this time with focus.

Jenny's eyes were still tightly closed and her breathing was slow and airy. Her face was lax and her body was straight as could be. But through the spell Ron saw something else: a soft sort of glow around the child. At first it was very faint and close to her body, but as Jenny continued to breathe, the glow grew larger until finally it reached Ron.

"Jenny, keep breathing. You are doing really well, but we need to get you to control your magic. I want you to think of collecting something…"

The glow around Jenny faltered as she interrupted, "Coins."

"Sure, bring those coins in and put them in your pockets… As you do this think of it as your magic coming into you, not out."

Slowly the glow around Jenny sank back in and the child herself glowed like a star.

"Excellent. Alright, you are finished for now."

Jenny's eyes opened and the glow disappeared, "Is that all?"

Ron chuckled as he stood up and helped Jenny to her feet, "For today. We have been here for almost an hour. Your mum came by earlier, dinner will be ready soon I bet."

Jenny left Ron alone as soon as Ron had let down the barriers. After Jenny left, Ron sat down at his desk. Picking up his wand off his desk, Ron thought to himself, 'Jenny seems to have a good grasp on her own mind. But why then, does she get into these fights? Even Harry wasn't that bad. Her mother might be right; she may get herself into more trouble than she can handle…'

Just to Let You Know:

I hope everyone got a kick out of Ron and Hermione's argument; I had a jolly time writing it, to be sure! Props to my roomie, who has been giving me great quotes out of her own randomness (AKA brain farts): )Much thanks to everyone who has been giving me the useful reviews and emails. Thanks Everyone! I fear the Sword of Truth may get the best of me yet…

Also another small, very slight shout out to Ms. Pierce again with another of her series, Circle of Magic, plus something from, Wild Mage, with the bit about Jenny glowing slightly. Goodness knows I glow when I meditate. : )

I got some requests from my college buddies to give more information into how Ron learned Tai Chi plus something on his time training as an auror… Tell me what you think and I will see what I can manage from there.

Christmas break is in two weeks and I hope to have another chapter out before I leave, BUT with finals week I can't promise anything. Also, because my internet back home isn't great I might have a hard time updating, so please be patient with me.

The same idea again: please Review.