* The bump *

There was something magical about holding her daughter's little hands while she was standing up and giving her first steps. At least, for Hermione. She couldn't believe how much her little girl had grown in such a short period of time. Just months ago she was a small newborn baby fighting for her life. Today she was a 9-month-old redhaired, smiley toddler who could stand up on her own for one whole minute and walked while somebody else held her hands. It was amazing to just see her giggling while she took step after step, just trying to move forward.
"Don't you have an essay to write?" Ron asked from the living room's doorframe one rainy Saturday afternoon. Hermione just shook her head.
"Handed in the last one of the week yesterday after work." she said, looking at Belle as she held her hands. Belle giggled and walked slowly around the room. She was beginning to say 'ma' and 'da', and since Hermione and Ron were really encouraging her to talk, they were sure she was going to say either of those words soon.
"You think she'll start walking on her own soon?" he asked.
"Maybe." she said as Belle stopped and looked around. The little girl looked up at her mom, like asking what to do next. Hermione just smiled. "Tired already?" she asked. Belle giggled and turned around, moving her chubby little legs.
In that moment, the chimney lit up and Harry emerged from it holding a rather restless 10-month-old Teddy Lupin in his arms. Hermione and Ron looked at him and smiled. Belle stopped walking and looked at them as well.
"Hey mate! Seems someone doesn't like the floo network much." Ron said as he rubbed Teddy's back.
"Actually, he's been like that all morning." Harry said, dropping Teddy's blue baby bag on the floor. Belle let go of her mother's hands in that instant and just sat on the floor, looking intriguely and the two 'new' people that walked in.
"Is something wrong with him?" Hermione asked, concerned.
"Andromeda said he's teething, so that's why he's kinda cranky." Harry answered. Hermione immediately tried to summon the pain potion but she didn't get it. She sighed, then she looked at Ron, confused.
"we used the last of it three days ago when she woke up crying because of her teeth." he answered as he nodded his head towards his daughter. Hermione nodded.
"Well, I'll go and get more, then. Better have some now before she starts complaining again. I'll also go and buy some ingredients I need for my next NEWTs potion." she said, taking a piece of parchment from the coffee table.
"you're going to leave us here alone with the babies?" Harry asked, shocked. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes as she went and got her purse and her coat.
"Oh, come on, Harry! It's not like you've never been left alone with them before. You've been alone with Belle plenty of times." she said, putting her coat on.
"But... but Ron was always there!" he retorted.
"He's going to be here too. I'M the one who's going to the store." she said, giving him a serious look. "Don't worry. I'll be back soon." she added. She went and kissed Belle on the head, then went and kissed Ron. A few minutes later, she disapparated.
"Well... now what?" Harry asked. Ron shrugged his shoulders as little Teddy started crying. Harry sighed and picked him up. He rocked him back and forth, trying to calm the little one down, but it didn't work.
"Hey, Teddy! Want to take a little ride, buddy?" Harry asked. He then went to the blue bag and took out a small toy broom. He carefully sat Teddy there, making sure the little guy got his hands firm on the broom. Teddy got quiet instantly as the broom lifted him from the floor just a few inches. Ron looked at him, surprised. "He really loves it. It soothes him." Harry explained. Then, he looked at Belle who was quietly sat on the floor looking at Teddy, intrigued. Harry perked up and smiled. "Ron, where did Hermione put the toy broom Ginny and I got Belle for Christmas?" he asked. Ron shrugged.
"I don't know. Probably somewhere where she can't get it. Why?" Ron asked. Harry took out his wand and summoned the toy broom which came flying to him from the nearest cupboard. He showed the toy to Ron, big grin on his face. Ron knew that look on his friend's face. It was the look that always got him into trouble.
"Oh, no. No, Harry." the redhaired started.
"Why not? Don't you wanna see your child on a broom?" Harry asked.
"Someday, yeah! But she can barely stand up on her own feet without help. What makes you think she'll sit balanced on a broom, mate?" Ron asked.
"Teddy can." Harry said.
"Mione's gonna kill me." Ron said.
"She won't if she doesn't know." Harry said, winking an eye to him. "Come on, Ron! It'll be perfectly safe! We're here with them." Harry said as he went to his niece and picked her up. "Hey there, princess! Wanna give it a try too?" he asked as he sat the little girl on the broom. Belle looked at the toy curiously, then looked back at him. He made sure she got her hands on the broom and gave it a little lift. The broom rose a few centimetres from the floor. Belle let out a squeak, then giggled. "See? She's a natural!" Harry said as Ron started to smile. In that moment, Belle leaned forward and the broom moved quickly, making the little girl crash against the sofa and falling on the floor. Ron and Harry ran to her immediately as she started crying hysterically.
"Bloody hell, Harry! Hermione's gonna kill me! Look at her!" Ron exclaimed as he picked his crying daughter up. Just in the middle of her forehead, Belle started to have a very visible bump.
"It wasn't my fault!" Harry retorted as he went to Teddy. Ron held his daughter tight, trying to calm her down, but it was useless. Belle kept crying hysterically, her face red as a tomatoe from it.
"It is your bloody fault, you git!" Ron shouted.
"Don't swear in front of the baby, Ron! And why is our daughter crying like she's been hit on the head or something?" Hermione said, leaving the bags she was carrying on the floor. Harry and Ron startled at the mere sight of her. Hermione went to Ron and looked at Belle who was holding her arms up to her mother in the second she saw her. Ron could see Hermione's face transform from concern to anger in just seconds. She quickly took the baby from Ron and held her. She examined the baby, then looked around, then she glared at Ron and Harry furiously. She didn't have to be a genius to figure out what had happened there.
"It's alright, sweetheart! Mommy's here! Mommy's gonna fix it! Let's get you some ice and have a nice nap upstairs, ok?" she said sweetly to the baby as they went to the kitchen. After getting an ice pack and placing it on Belle's forehead, she took the little girl upstairs to her room. It took her a good half hour to calm her down and put her down in her crib. When she turned around to leave the room, she found Ron staring at her. She gave him a deathly glare and walked past him and to their room. He followed her.
"I know you're angry... and I'm sorry." he started, closing the door behind him. Hermione turned around, her hands on her hips.
"ANGRY, RONALD?! TRY FURIOUS! EXTREMLY AND UTERLY FURIOUS." she shouted. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN WERE YOU THINKING? SHE'S NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD! SHE CAN BARELY STAND ON HER FEET! AND YOU GO AND SIT HER ON A BROOM! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" she continued. Good thing Ron had placed a silencing charm before he started talking or she could have woken up the entire country.
"It was Harry's idea." was all Ron could say. Hermione looked at him. "wrong answer." he thought.
"OH, I'M SORRY, BUT LAST TIME I CHECKED, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHILD WITH HARRY BLOODY POTTER!" she shouted. "She's your daughter, Ronald. Not Harry's, yours. You are the one who makes decisions about her wellbeing, not him!" she said, walking back and forth around the room. Ron had never seen her so mad before, not even when he had dated Lavender back in 6th. "You're lucky she only had a bump on her head. It could have been so much worse! She could have had something broken. We could have lost her!" she shouted, her eyes welling up with tears. That's when Ron realized that Hermione was not only mad and worried but scared. "We could have lost her." she repeated, tears running through her cheeks. Ron went and wrapped his arms around her.
"But we didn't. It was just a bump." he said
"But it could have been worse! She could have hit her head harder and gotten unconcious and... we nearly lost her twice, Ron. I couldn't bear it if she... if we..." she cried. He held her tight.
"I know. I wouldn't want that either. But... we can't protect her from everything in the world, Hermione. She's gonna start walking soon, and I'm sure she'll fall and hit herself with something along the way a million times. The important thing is that we're there for her, helping her, loving her, ready to help her stand up and try again." he said. She upped her head to him as he took a piece of paper from his pocket. He showed it to her. "I took it before the accident. Look at her." he told Hermione. She looked at the picture of her little girl on the broom, giggling.
"She's happy." she said, smiling a bit and sniffing. Ron smiled, then kissed her head.
"I really am sorry for letting Harry get her on that broom, and for not watching her more closely. You know I wouldn't let anything happen to you or her, right?" he asked. She nodded.
"I just... I'm scared... she's growing up so quickly, I just... I'm scared of her getting hurt. Of not protecting her enough. Of not being there for her enough." she said.
"You're there, she knows it. She knows you love her and you're taking the best care of her. We have to let her grow, Hermione." he said, then he kissed her.
"Mama. Mama" they heard someone said. They looked at each other and smiled. They ran to their daughter's room. Belle was standing on her crib, her hands firmly on the wooden bars, big smile on her face. It seemed like the incident on the broom was forgotten by her already. Hermione went and picked her up.
"Mama!" Belle exclaimed, reaching out to Hermione's cheek. Hermione kissed her little hand.
"I'm gonna put the broom away and..." Ron started before Hermione interrupted her.
"Don't. Maybe she'll want to try again later... with both of us watching her." she said. He smiled.
Hours later, little Belle was on her broom again, big smile on her face. She was slowly flying forward to meet her mother who was waiting for her at the other end of the room, big, proud smile on her face. Ron had his hand on the baby's back, protecting her for any harm. He was also smiling proudly at his daughter. Because he knew that she was going to have many bumps in her life. But he also knew that him and Hermione were going to be there for her.