AN: Happy surprise chapter Wednesday. I just finished writing and getting chapter 10 beta'd, so thought what the hell, let's share another chapter with everyone, especially because you've all been saying such lovely things.
As always, loads and loads of thanks and loves goes to my amazing betas, who have helped me untangle this story and turn it into something I'm super proud of.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and if you do, please let me know. If you don't, well I guess the close window button is there for a reason! xxx
Ron takes advantage of a quiet Saturday and starts designing stuff for the stall with Hugo. The next day, Ron's family has a few things to say regarding his new relationship.
The after-effects of the disastrous start to Ron's morning eases whilst he eats breakfast with Hugo. The child devours his pancake feast, regaling Ron with stories from his sleepover with Victoire, Louis, and Dominique. Any indication that he might have felt awful has disappeared as he drops his fork onto his empty plate and rushes off to watch television.
Ron takes his time with the clean-up but is distracted by his phone pinging. Assuming that Bill has finally sent a message to the family chat detailing what exactly he walked in on this morning, Ron ignores it. Instead, he focuses on ensuring every inch of the kitchen is clean. As he works, his imagination wreaks havoc, forcing him to picture every individual reaction to the news that he had sex with Hugo's teacher last night, until his nerves build to their final crescendo. He pauses to take a steadying breath and stop himself from throwing up. Then, unable to delay the inevitable and with the kitchen sparkling clean, he finally makes his way back to Hugo, who is sprawled across the sofa.
"Budge up." Ron swats the child's legs out of the way, and grins as Hugo shifts and curls up to Ron's side instead. "What are you watching, anyway?"
Once Hugo started showing signs of independence, Ron implemented some hard and fast rules of what the kid was allowed to watch on the TV.
"Adventure Time."
"Looks ridiculous. Any boobs, gore or drugs?"
Hugo wrinkles his nose up in distaste. "No."
"Good kid!"
Unwilling to resist checking his phone any longer, Ron finally pulls it out of his pocket. He prepares himself for the onslaught of abuse and opinions, repeating the mantra over and over in his head that they only care and just want to look after Ron and Hugo's best interests.
Instead, a smile spreads across Ron's face when he sees that the message is actually from Hermione and that the family group chat remains quiet. He breathes a sigh of relief before unlocking his phone.
I took something of yours before I left. I hope that you don't mind x
He narrows his eyes, trying to work out what she might mean. All of his possessions seem to be in the right place, and Hugo is still fixed firmly to Ron's side, mouthing the words of his favourite cartoon.
And then it clicks into place.
After the taxi stole Hermione away from him, he had gone upstairs to pull on a top, planning on just reusing the one he'd worn yesterday. The thought that it might faintly smell of Hermione made the idea more appealing. However, upon entering his room, the t-shirt was nowhere to be found. But at least she'd made his bed.
You snuck that out right under my nose, you menace. I didn't know you were a thief as well as a monster! ;-) x
Her reply comes back almost straight away, giving Ron a delightful buzz as, once again, he imagines her waiting over her phone to hear from him. Not only does it show that she's still keen to carry on talking with him, but also that she's not one for playing games.
He rolls his eyes to himself as he recalls all the dating advice friends and family have given him over the years since his ex left—play it cool, don't come across as too eager. Apparently, if you show that you're interested in someone too soon in a relationship, it might scare the other person off. But Ron hates hidden meanings and trying to work out people's true intentions. He'd prefer to be upfront and honest about his feelings, and if that person gets put off, well, that's a reflection on them and not him.
You can have something of mine next time if you want? x
Ron chuckles before he texts back:
I'm not sure I'd look good in your dress x
There's a pause before she responds this time, and Ron allows himself to get absorbed in the colourful cartoons racing across the television. When his phone goes off again, Hugo lifts his head and gives Ron a disgruntled look.
"I'm sorry, buddy, I'll put it on silent so it doesn't disturb you, okay?"
Hugo narrows his eyes. "Who are you texting?"
He tries to peer over Ron's shoulder to read the screen. Ron laughs and shields the phone from the child. Hugo must suspect that something is going on, considering he put on his best spy efforts this morning, but Ron doesn't want to go into the nitty-gritty of everything straight away. He carefully debates his response because he also doesn't like lying to Hugo.
This whole situation with Hermione will be a massive balancing act, and Ron doesn't want to do something that might end up breaking Hugo's heart. He's already had it tough enough in his short little life, and the kid is too pure to end up being fucked up by Ron's mistakes.
"I'm texting Miss Granger because we're making plans for the stall," he finally admits.
Hugo's eyes light up, and he abandons the TV show he was so keen not to have interrupted just a second earlier. "What are we going to do? Are we going to win? Can I help?"
"Uhm yeah! You're a part of our team, aren't you?"
"Really? With you and Miss Granger!" He claps his hands together with a whoop. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
Hugo's excitement distracts Ron, and the older Weasley abandons his phone to tell Hugo about their plans. As much as he enjoys texting Hermione, Hugo deserves to get Ron's full attention when they're together, and he's sure he'll get back to her eventually.
⁂
Unfortunately, Hermione's final message gets forgotten for the rest of the day. As soon as Ron finishes telling Hugo about the stall idea, the eight-year-old sets himself on a mission to get signs designed, roping in Ron too. The living room soon becomes a sea of crayons, felt-tip pens and Ron's best printer paper as Hugo scribbles design after design in giant rainbow letters. Pictures of purple burgers and neon-green milkshakes build up around them as the two Weasleys lay on their stomachs and draw.
However, Hugo's initial enthusiasm wanes as the afternoon progresses. As his face starts to turn pale and dark circles appear under his eyes, it becomes clear to Ron that Hugo still isn't feeling all that good.
After half an hour of watching Hugo pick at his dinner, Ron decides to find out what's wrong. "Are you feeling poorly again, buddy?"
Hugo's lower lip starts to quiver. "Yeah. My tummy hurts."
Ron reaches across the table and places the back of his hand on Hugo's forehead. He's not feeling too hot, but his cheeks are flushed. To emphasise his point, a shiver travels over Hugo's body as soon as Ron touches him.
He must have picked up a bug somewhere.
The first time Hugo was ill like this, Ron learnt a valuable lesson. He'd taken it upon himself to stay up all night to keep an eye on the child, despite his ex's adamant assurances that Hugo would be fine. Every cough, sneeze and grumble only fuelled Ron's suspicions that something must be seriously wrong with the kid.
Ron finally caved at three in the morning and called his mum, who gently but firmly told her son that Hugo would be fine unless something was hanging off or his temperature was above thirty-eight degrees. Sometimes children just get poorly for no reason, and she'd warned Ron that unless he learned to relax a little, he would have a rough time with being a parent.
Still, it's hard for Ron to see Hugo in such a state, even after two years of random ailments, bumps and scrapes.
"All right, leave your dinner. Let's get you up to bed."
Ignoring their plates, Ron scoops up Hugo with a loud groan. The child immediately buries his head against Ron's neck, sending a flutter of love to the adult's heart. Of course, the last thing he wants is Hugo feeling poorly, but it's moments like this, where Hugo is wholly reliant on Ron, that both scare him and cause overwhelming awe at the same time.
It was never in his life plan to be responsible for a small child, but he has never regretted stepping in after Fred's death.
For the first night in a very long time, Ron doesn't have to battle Hugo into bed. Instead, the kid changes into his pyjamas without a fight and climbs silently under the sheets. Over the past few weeks, they've been reading Holes together, but when offered, Hugo refuses the story. As soon as his head hits the pillow, he is fast asleep.
Ron takes a moment to enjoy the quiet as he tucks Hugo into the duvet, and the child's face grows peaceful and calm. Ron envies Hugo's ability just to fall asleep no matter where he is or what's going on around him (or the time of the day). The kid would sleep for England if he were allowed.
Ron runs his hand over Hugo's head one last time before getting up. Then, as an afterthought, he fetches a small washing up bowl from the kitchen and lays it on the floor next to Hugo's bed with a towel, just in case. He leaves the door open a small amount, then heads back downstairs to tidy the kitchen again.
With all his chores done, Ron settles back in front of the TV. After a while, his phone buzzes from where he had left it on the arm of the sofa, reminding him that he abandoned it earlier that day without texting back. A list of messages from Hermione waits for him.
Hey you, just checking in to see how Hugo is doing?
The rest of the texts are of a similar vein, and Ron chuckles as he reads through them all. He hadn't realised how long he left his phone as he played and looked after Hugo. Hermione must already be so used to getting instant responses from Ron that she's panicking that he hasn't text back.
Deciding to put her out of her misery, Ron makes himself comfortable then dials her number. For someone so desperate to get a text back, it takes five rings before she answers, and when she does, she's out of breath.
"Is everything okay?" she blurts out, without even bothering to say hello.
"Hello to you too, beautiful." Ron grins down the phone. "Everything is fine, although Hugo is still feeling a bit poorly. I just wanted to ring to say sorry for not texting back. We spent the day designing signs for the stall, and then I decided to put him to bed early."
"Oh no! What do you think is wrong with him?"
"Just one of those twenty-four-hour things, probably. The kid eats everything he can get his hands on, and I've tried to tell him to stop eating worms, but…."
Hermione laughs. "I am sorry about bombarding you with messages. I told you I'm a bit overbearing sometimes."
"Hey! Less of that, please. It just shows you care."
Ron and Hermione fall into a comfortable conversation. It's amazing how they only parted company a few hours ago, yet they still have plenty to catch up on. He wants to know every detail of her day, and even though all she did was housework, it's still interesting to him. In return, Hermione listens to Ron's worries about Hugo feeling poorly and all the times they've ended up at the doctor's or rushing the kid to the hospital over the past two years.
Ron often used to think that people were bored listening to him talk about Hugo, but Hermione always seems keen to hear more. It isn't until Ron's eyes flit to the clock that he realises they've been on the phone all night.
"It's almost eleven, 'Mione. I should probably say goodnight. No doubt Hugo will be as right as rain in the morning, and he has this great skill of working out when I've stayed up super late and waking me up extra early. It's like he's deliberately trying to steal sleep."
Hermione lets out a sigh. "Okay. I wish I was there with you."
"I know. I'll get in touch tomorrow when I find out about a babysitter for our date?"
"I look forward to it." Although Ron can't see her, he can tell Hermione is smiling down the phone. "Night, Ron."
"G'night, Hermione."
⁂
The following morning passes without incident.
Hugo is a lot better after a decent sleep, and he wasn't sick again, so Ron is happy that the kid is definitely out of the woods. Because of this, they can go for dinner with the rest of the family.
Sunday lunches at the Burrow have been a Weasley tradition since Ron can remember. Although his parents don't have a lot of money, his mother is a genius and has the uncanny ability to feed the five thousand on a tiny budget.
The family is enormous now, bursting out of the small farmhouse that his mum and dad have owned since they married. There are six Weasley siblings, and all of them are married, apart from Ron and Charlie, who works abroad. Five of them have at least one child each, but most have two or even three. And then, to top the menagerie off, Harry is the Godfather to Teddy, who often comes around to eat with everyone to give his parents a break.
Still, Molly Weasley wouldn't have it any other way. She often complains that there are no babies left to look after during the day and constantly urges her brood to have more of their own. She thrives on looking after her family, despite them telling her that she should get out and find some hobbies to keep her busy. But she won't listen.
Ron has to admit that it's nice to have her around. She is a walking encyclopedia regarding ailments and tips for the children, and without her advice, Hugo might not have survived his first year alone with Ron.
By the time Ron and Hugo turn up at the Burrow, all the parking spaces outside the farmhouse are full. As per usual, they are late. This time it's because Hugo couldn't find the mask that matches his Captain America costume. Ron dumps his car at a safe spot in the lane that leads up to his parent's house, then walks Hugo towards the front door, avoiding the cluster of chickens feeding on the lawn.
Ron and Hugo step over the threshold, wincing as a wall of chaos assaults them. Children run from one end of the house to the other, almost tripping over each other in the fight to be in the lead. An assortment of shoes, wellies and coats are abandoned near the overloaded coat rack, and Ron carefully adds his own to the mix. He turns towards the kitchen, delighting in the smell of roast dinner as it fills Ron's nostrils, bringing with it a sense of nostalgia. For some people, the place might look like madness has descended over it, but for Ron, it is home.
He can't wait until his relationship with Hermione gets to the point where he can bring her along to witness how good being a part of his family is, although it might be a little overwhelming for her to begin with.
Hugo runs off with his cousins, leaving Ron to locate the adults. He wanders through the kitchen, giving his mum a quick kiss as she stirs a massive vat of gravy. Everyone else has spilled out into the garden, making the most of the nice weather.
As soon as he steps back outside, Bill greets him by shoving a bottle of beer into Ron's hand.
"Cheers, mate," Ron responds. "I need this after the day I had yesterday. It turns out Hugo really was poorly, so it wasn't just the excitement of the sleepover."
Bill pulls a face. "Ah, man. That sucks. None of mine were ill, so I don't think it's anything Victoire fed them."
"Nah, probably just a bug. You know how it is."
They clink their bottles together, and then a heavy tension falls between the brothers as they run out of things to say. Ron knows why; there's a big bushy-haired elephant in the room, desperate to be discussed, although neither brother wants to be the one to bring it up. However, since no mention of what Bill witnessed yesterday has made it to the family chat yet, Ron at least owes Bill his gratitude for his discretion.
"Listen, I just wanted to say sorry for what you walked in on yesterday morning."
Bill's eyes light up, and a smile crosses his face. "Well, I think it probably could have been a lot worse, given how little she was wearing."
"Yeah, maybe."
"She's Hugo's teacher, isn't she?" Bill asks, not waiting for a response from Ron before he continues. "Just be careful, yeah?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, just…" Bill shoves his spare hand in his pocket and kicks the toe of his trainer against a tuft of grass. It's clear he feels awkward, but Ron would prefer to hear his eldest brother's relationship advice over anyone else in the family. He's the one who's been married the longest, after all. "Won't it be a little strange?"
Ron shrugs. "I've only just started seeing her."
"Well, the kids will be on summer break soon, I guess, and you're old enough to make your own mistakes. And don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone else, although I may have let it slip to Fleur." He flinches as Ron shoots him a look. "I just couldn't help it mate, the look on your face was hilarious, and I couldn't stop laughing when I got back to the car."
"Cheers for that." Ron claps a hand onto his brother's shoulder. "I'm glad someone got a laugh from it all."
⁂
Dinner is its typical noisy affair, and it's clear that Hugo is feeling better. He zooms around the garden with the rest of the children, barely stopping to take mouthfuls of food. Ron usually wouldn't allow this, as he's trying to bring the child up with better table manners, but there's no point in even trying when the rest of them are running feral.
Once everyone's done eating, Ron volunteers to help his mum with the clean-up. He doesn't get to spend a lot of time with just her, but she does a lot for him, so it's the least he can do.
He regrets his decision as soon as they're alone. Molly rounds on him straight away, and Ron is aghast when she licks her fingers and rubs at something on his neck. "You've got a bit of dirt or something…."
The spot hurts, and Ron squirms out of her grip. Catching his reflection in a large pot hanging above the stove, he realises with a sinking feeling that Hermione must have left a hickey and he's been too busy looking after Hugo to notice it.
"Now come on, it's just a bit of spit," his mum tuts before turning a dishcloth on him.
"Mum, gerroff! I'm thirty-five." The tips of his ears burn. Ron sinks his hands into his washing bowl and focuses on scrubbing the nearest frying pan to avoid her attention. "You know it's not dirt," he mumbles.
"So, what I heard about you having a little sleepover with Hugo's teacher on Friday night was right then? You'd think she'd have a bit more decency."
Shoulders slumping, Ron stares out of the kitchen window, trying to see if Bill has a guilty look on his face. He promised Ron that he only told Fleur, and Ron is livid. Although Bill is nowhere to be seen, his wife is gazing back towards the house. As soon as their eyes connect across the garden, she blushes bright red and turns her back to them.
At least she has the decency to look ashamed.
Ron's arm hairs bristle, and his defences come up. Hermione doesn't deserve a bad reputation with his mother, and he could kill Fleur for letting the information slip. "Yeah, she stayed over. I didn't plan for Hugo to come back so early, though. I was supposed to be going to pick him up."
"I see." Molly starts to dry the plates as Ron washes them. "And what did Hugo have to say?"
"Nothing. I told him that Hermione was over to help me with some stall stuff, and we did spend most of the evening talking about that before she came back to mine, so it wasn't a lie. I didn't even touch her once he was in the house."
He risks a glance at his mum and is surprised by the stern look on her face. Her lips are drawn together in a tight line, and her eyes are narrow slits. The frown creasing her eyebrows only shows how old she's grown over the past few years. But it's a shame her opinions haven't changed. He didn't expect his mum to be over the moon; she has very archaic views on sex and marriage, but the apparent disapproval plastered on her face knocks him for six.
"I don't think you've thought this through properly, Ronald," she finally replies.
Ron tightens his grip on his dishcloth, his knuckles turning white with the effort. Through gritted teeth, he says, "What do you mean?"
"Well, it's going to be confusing for Hugo. She's with him all day at school, and then he comes home to his safe environment to find her there too? Even though he'll leave her class in a few weeks, he still has to attend Ottery Juniors for another three years. And if you and this Miss Granger split up, it'll make things very awkward for you and him."
"Mum, I've only just started seeing her. It's not like I've proposed marriage. I plan to take things slow, and I'm only going to tell Hugo that something is going on when I'm sure that mine and Hermione's relationship is serious, whenever that happens."
"But don't you think he's been through enough, love?" Molly softens her tone, but Ron knows all too well that this is just another tool in her arsenal of getting her children to do what she wants. "It'll be so confusing to bring a woman into his life that he so obviously adores. If things get messy, it will break his heart."
Ron longs to ask about his own heart. When is it okay for him to do something for himself? He's sacrificed so much already to make sure Hugo has a happy home, but when does Ron get to draw a line under the child's trauma and start living his own life again?
Ever since Bill walked in on Hermione this morning, a million thoughts have been running through Ron's mind, and what his mum has just said to him has turned those thoughts on a dime.
Ron and Hugo are doing well by themselves; they have a good life, and Hugo is usually very well behaved. Both of them are happy unless Hugo isn't getting his way, but Ron is learning how to bring the kid off the brink of a tantrum and change his mood back to a good one.
Of course, there is no doubt that Hermione's sudden appearance in Ron's life has the potential to upset this equilibrium. Adding another person to such a delicate balancing act could cause a massive headache and do some severe damage to Hugo's wellbeing too. But equally, it could be the best thing that's ever happened to them.
But does Hugo even want someone else around?
The kid has never expressed discontent that he hasn't got a mother figure in his life, and there are plenty of women around willing to help Ron bring Hugo up the right way and be a positive female presence.
With a heavy sigh, he realises that his mum is right. Hugo always has to come first. Ron knew when he agreed to adopt the kid that he wouldn't be able to live a normal life, and when his ex walked out on them, Ron realised that dating was out of the question for a very long time.
Hermione is special, but Hugo has to be Ron's priority.
His stomach twists in agonising realisation, but he continues with the washing up in silence, not wanting to give his mum the satisfaction of knowing what she said was right. As he finishes up, a soft hand slides over his shoulder, and he finally turns to look at her.
"You will find the right woman, eventually. It just can't be Hugo's teacher. It's unfair," his mum tells him. "As a parent, you always have to put your children first."
Ron mumbles his response, "Yeah, thanks, Mum. Listen, I need to pop out for a moment. Do you mind just keeping an eye on Hugo?"
Molly nods with an understanding look. "Of course, love."
He dries his hands then picks up his car keys from the table, not bothering to tell Hugo where he's going. Ron's good mood has completely disappeared, and the weight of what he's about to do is heavy on his shoulders. Although he doesn't have plans to see Hermione until Tuesday, he needs to get this over and done with. It would be unfair to string her along, especially given they still have to work together on the stall.
There's just one issue. Ron really doesn't want to upset Hermione. She already means so much to him, and he's had so much fun getting to know her, but his mum is right. It would be confusing for Hugo, and it's unfair to put him through that just because Ron feels a little selfish.
But Ron hates letting people down. As he climbs back into his car, he lets out a shuddering sigh.
This sucks.