AN: The prompt for this is Rose. I thought it would be good for Ron/Hermione fluff. This takes place in the summer before Fourth Year.

My heart goes out to Boston. I hope that everyone and their loved ones are okay.

Disclaimer: Last time I checked I am an American brunette. Nice try, but I know that I'm not JK Rowling

Title: The Unfolding Light: Rose

Word Count: 748

Summary: Seven years, that's all it took for them to save the world and move on. A series of vignettes and drabbles during their times in between. Gender-bending. Part of the AU Diversity Boot Camp.

The first time that Hector came to the Burrow, he saw Rory kneeling next to a rose bush.

His parents had gone inside to talk to Mr and Mrs Weasley, they were still feeling woozy from Side-Along Apparating. But he found it to be incredible from moving from one point to another so quickly—it was much more bearable than using a Floo, a broom, and even the Hippogriff. He couldn't wait to learn how to master it.

Mrs Weasley had told him that Rory was outside, and then gave him some apples to bring to her. One of her chores was pruning the rose bushes, and it didn't take that long to find her because it was easy to follow the string of swearing that was coming from his friend's mouth. He smiled inwardly and cleared his throat. "Hello."

Rory froze, a thing of dead wood fell from her gloved hands. She turned around and her face became very red. She pushed some of her hair away from her face, leaving dirt on her nose. "Hi."

Dry-mouthed, Hector held one of the apples up. "Your mum wanted me to bring you something to eat."

"Brilliant." She ripped her gloves off and threw them at the ground. She held her hands out. "Well?" Certain that he was going to miss—or worst—hit her head, Hector shifted his weight to one side, trying to think of the best way to throw the fruit so that she could catch it. Rory rolled her eyes. "For the love of Merlin! Just throw the bloody thing."

He did and she caught it with one hand.

"See?" She took a large bite out of it. "You were thinking too much. Do you ever let your brain rest in the summer?"

"Then what would happen to my summer homework?" Hector asked. He balanced the second apple in his hands. "I would hate to get low marks before school even starts. But what would be more impressive would be getting detention before school really starts."

Rory's smile turned cheeky. "Care to beat what Halley and I did? I'm sure that the Ford Angelina is still in the forest somewhere…"

"No." Hector was certain that he would never have to be in that position. He took a bite out of his apple and looked around, now getting a better view of the Burrow and the surrounding land. The house itself was truly something, it reminded him of his Grandmother's quilt in a way—just the patchwork look that it had, as if magic was the only thing holding it up. There were plenty of rolling mountains and hills were carved around it, giving it a storybook appearance. That was rather fitting due to the witches and wizards living there. "It's pretty," he said suddenly, unable to fund a better word to use.

Rory's eyebrows moved up to her hairline. "Next you're going to say that it's magical, that's what Halley said last time." She sat down on the grass, patting the spot next to her for him to join. Hector moved to sit by her, the smell of roses were stronger near her. She pointed a finger north. "That's where the Lovegoods live, they got a boy that's Gabriel's age. A little to the east are the Fawcetts and Diggorys. Other than them and us, that's everyone magical nearby."

"Must be nice," Hector said wistfully, imagining what it would be like to have Wizarding neighbours.

"Sometimes." She chucked the apple's pit down the mountain. Her sure fuzzed out and became a slight frown. "We all like to keep to ourselves here. Those down in the village think that we're a mad lot."

"Course you are." He nudged her shoulder. "I don't mind being friends with a mad person. Makes my life more interesting."

"You say that now..."