Chapter 11: Month 1: New Situations

The walkway to the new mansion was lined with tulips. The day seemed to share the couple's good mood, yesterday's rain was gone and the sun was shining. Were those birds actually chirping? Such a cliché. But it was true. Hermione looped her arm through Ron's as they walked up the pathway, Hermione biting her lip. As beautiful as the golden stone house looked, and as fresh the flowers were, she couldn't help thinking it was a little bit, well, posh. After all, Ron had grown up in a converted 4-floor chicken coop, and Hermione had lived in a small brick house. A fountain in the yard? Hermione shook her head.

Ron noticed her small head-shake. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She cleared her head. The house was probably perfect.

At the doorway she took a deep breath. Ron scooped her up in her arms. She looked up at him questioningly and he shrugged. "I don't know, just seems fitting." They both smiled as Ron turned the key in the lock and carried her in. Hermione's jaw dropped.

The marble floors glittered. The chandelier glistened. The small stained glass window glowed from the rays of sun streaming in.

Hermione wiggled out of Ron's arms. "Ron…how…" She gazed around, awestruck.

"How…?" He looked confused.

"How did you manage to find something like this?" She nearly leaped on him, kissing his lips. He staggered back, but responded joyfully. Breaking away, he smiled. "You like it?"

"Oh my gosh…" Hermione felt like a kid trapped in a candy store. She raced all around the house in a frenzy, while Ron watched her act like a hamster for twenty minutes. She raced back to where he leaned against the door. Her hair, normally frizz-free, had regained the frizzy puffiness of her youth. Her face was as bright as a tomato. She grabbed Ron's hand and yanked him up the stairs.

Laughing, Hermione turned around at the top of the stairway. "I just looked all around the first floor. Ron, it's the best house I have ever seen! Have you seen it?"

"Of course! I didn't just buy this one on a whim; I looked at like 5 houses!"

"Wow…" She looked utterly impressed with her clumsy husband. He kissed her.

"Have you seen the bedroom yet?"

She shook her head. "I haven't been up here yet."

"Well come on then!" He pushed ahead of her and then pulled her up the next few steps.

There was a large landing with four doors. Poking her head in the first one, child room designs began forming themselves in her brain. Cribs, beds, dressers, toy drawers mentally assembled themselves as she gazed around the beige-carpeted room.

"What? What do you see?" Ron asked. He recognized those looks, when Hermione's eyes went blank and she started picturing designs, formulas, or wand movements. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Just…a room for the kid." She couldn't help the smile that broke across her face.

Smiling too, he pulled her away and showed her the room across the hallway. It was, with no doubt, the most beautiful bedroom ever. Ron had taken the time to furnish it, although Hermione had her suspicions that Ginny or some other family member had helped, because it was absolutely perfect. A gigantic bed graced one corner; a beautiful comforter with gold leaf pillows decorated it. She raised her eyebrows. "Why just the bedroom?"

A mischievous smile played on his mouth. "I thought you might want to christen the house?"

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"Ginny, tell me honestly, did you help Ron pick out that house?"

"What? What house?"

"Ginny!" Hermione smacked Ginny's arm. The two were lounging on Ginny's couch chatting while Harry tried to complete some paperwork with James kicking and screaming in the highchair next to him.

"What? Ok, fine. I helped him decorate the bedroom. Did you like it?"

She smiled contentedly. "Yes, yes I did."

Ginny smirked. "Did you two have some fun?"

Hermione's face went white. "Ginny!" Harry looked over, grinning, which earned him a sharp glare from Hermione. "Ginny!" Hermione repeated, gaping. "That's your brother!"

Ginny shrugged. "I'm not as uptight about my siblings' relationships, remember?"

Hermione snorted. "Uh huh. But I am not going to answer that question, you impertinent witch."

Ginny smiled. "Ah, well. Worth a shot."

"So Ron managed to do something right for once?" Harry interjected.

Hermione pursed her lips jokingly. "Yes he did, Harry. And it wasn't the first time!"

He raised his eyebrows.

"No, seriously, it wasn't!"

"Hey!" A light entered Ginny's brown eyes. "You know what you should do?"

"What?"

"You should have a big dinner in the new house! Invite the whole family! I'll help cook."

Harry looked over again, snorting. "Don't count on that last promise, Hermione. Ask her what the last thing she made from scratch was."

"Ginny, what was the last thing you made from scratch?"

"Um…" Ginny searched her memory. "Scrambled eggs?"

"See? She never cooks! If you need help cooking for this dinner of yours I'd ask Molly, not her."

"Hey, you! James finally shut up, get back to your paperwork!" She jokingly snapped.

"Hey, wait a minute! I never agreed to this dinner thing!"

"Yeah, but you did. You should do it next weekend! I know Mum and Dad would love it, and I can get George to take the day off."

"Why are you sooo bossy?" Hermione asked.

"So you'll do it?"

"FINE." Hermione said, smiling. Now that she thought about it, a family dinner would seem nice.

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"You're wearing THAT?" Hermione demanded.

Ron looked down at his white t-shirt. "What about it?"

"The family is coming over tonight!"

Stuffing a breadstick in his mouth, Ron shrugged. "They're my family! They don't care!"

"But your mother—"

"My mother what? I'm not eleven, Hermione! Who are you trying to impress anyway? You've been part of this family since you were fifteen, they know you! And if you dress me up George is just going to make fun of me."

"Oh, who's trying to impress the family now?" Hermione mocked. "Why don't I get a My Sweetheart necklace and see if that gets results?"

Ron paled. Was that a joke? Did she know about the whole Lavender thing? "What…what do you mean?"

She looked confused. "Nothing, but fine, keep that shirt, whatever."

"Oh, ok."

"Why, what did you think I meant?" She asked.

"Nothing, nothing!" He said hastily.

Her eyes narrowed. "You've been acting really strange recently, Ron…what's wrong?"

"Nothing! Hey, do you need help setting the table?" He quickly changed the subject.

"Yup. 9 seats."

The doorbell suddenly rang. "Oh gosh, who's early? No one in your family is early!" Hermione said, wringing her hands.

Ron opened the door. Bill, Fleur, and Victoire stood there. "Hey, Ron." Bill clapped Ron on the back. Fleur gave him a kiss on the cheek, and still after the years of this occurrence, Ron blushed.

Over the next ten minutes, the rest of the family arrived. George, flying solo for the moment, Molly and Arthur, and Ginny and Harry (Ginny proudly carrying a carrot cake, Harry holding James).

"What's for dinner?" asked Arthur, seating himself at the mahogany table.

"Steak, garlic potatoes, lasagna, shepherd's pie, and carrot cake."

George's stomach grumbled in anticipation. "How'd you manage to bake all that?"

Hermione smiled. "Ron helped."

Ginny and George burst into hysterical laughter. The rest of the evening passed pleasantly, with easy conversation and good food.

Two hours later, Hermione washed the dinner dishes while dessert was being served. Ron came in, carrying another load of plates and forks. "See? Nothing bad happens when my family is over."

Hermione smiled. "I know, sorry for being so tense. It's just I—"

Ron interrupted her by kissing her, at which point the door banged open, the two broke hurriedly apart, and Ginny said smugly, "Yup, I knew it."

A/N: YAYYYY, A CHAPTER! Not my best, but it was kind of fun to write! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all those who wrote in suggestions! THEY REALLY HELPED! Not only with this chapter but with the next one which is in the works! REALLY! You really helped me, you guys! THANK YOU! I love you so much! Ok, I know this is a little high, but…how about 20 reviews until next chapter? I would LOVE that! Again, thank you all so much for the love, I'm eternally grateful, and I love you all back!

XOXO,

Sparkshine