Chapter 14
Family
"It's quite unbelievable that he got you to listen to him."
"I agree," Rose said with a smile as she took the plate her mother held out and gingerly placed it on the table.
Hermione glanced at her daughter sideways, glad that she was home and gladder still that she had done so on her own accord – albeit, with a little persuasion.
"So are you two seeing each other now?"
Hermione's brown eyes danced with mirth as Rose almost dropped the jug she was holding, laying it carefully on the table and looking at her mother with wide eyes.
"Mum!"
"Shall I take that as a yes?"
Rose ducked her head and scratched the back of a chair. "It's complicated," she muttered and Hermione hummed as she dried her hands on her apron.
"I see. But you like him, yes?"
"I'm not sure… yet…"
Hermione nodded, glad that Rose had given space for chance instead of shooting it down instantly as she always would have. She reached forward and touched her daughter's hair, smiling at the dampness of it.
"You let your hair to dry out?" she asked, untucking Rose's hair from behind her ear.
"Yeah, I had time so I decided that I didn't want to dry it."
Hermione smiled and nodded as she took off her apron and placed it on the back of a chair.
"Will dad be having dinner with us?" Rose asked, looking out the glass sliding doors at the clear afternoon sky.
"He wasn't going to, but because I said you'd be here, he said he would."
Rose looked thoughtful and then looked at her mother. "Is it alright if I went to see him?"
"At the shop?" Hermione asked with mild surprise. Rose nodded and Hermione shrugged.
"Of course it is, why wouldn't it be?"
"I just thought…" she trailed off, staring at the table. Hermione cupped her cheek.
"Darling, he's you father. No matter what happens, he loves you unconditionally."
Rose smiled softly and nodded, leaning into her mother's warm touch. "Can I go now?"
"Of course you can. Give me a moment, I'll pack something for your uncle."
"He's at the shop too? How come?"
"They just launched a new set of products and George absolutely wanted to be there to handle the sales," Hermione answered with a roll of her eyes.
Rose laughed and took the small box from her mother. Hermione smiled again and Rose looked curiously at her.
"That boy's good for you, Rosie," she said and Rose flushed as she stepped into the floo, her mother's genuinely pleased smile captured in her mind.
She couldn't help but laugh at the extreme surprise on her father's face as she walked out of the office of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, holding up the lunch box.
"I brought food for uncle George and am here to escort you home in case you decide to escape."
"Rosie?" Ron asked as he continued to gape at her.
"What, did I grow another head or something?"
He laughed slightly and pulled her into a hug, kissing her hair. "I cannot believe you're here!"
"Yes, I can see that," she laughed as her uncle poked his head out from the backroom curiously.
"Well, well, well! If isn't little Miss important!"
Rose raised her eyebrows at her dad and he rolled his eyes. She laughed as George hugged her and snatched the box from her, eagerly prying it open.
"Will you look at that! Your wife's such a darling, Ron. Maybe I should've married her instead of mine," he said, stuffing his mouth with potato crisps and exclaiming in delight.
"Yeah, why don't we trade, if you're so eager," Ron replied drily, making Rose grin.
"Come on dad, she's not all bad."
"Oh yeah? Now tell me she isn't why you ran away from home."
"I didn't run away, I only moved out," Rose answered with pursed lips, feeling the familiar argument commencing.
"Same difference," Ron said with a wave of his hand and then grinned at her. "So how long are you staying?"
"Until tomorrow afternoon, I think. Hugh said he might be able to take some time off to visit so I decided it'd be nice to spend some time with all of you."
Ron wiped a nonexistent tear from his eye and George patted him on the back, nodding in understanding. Rose rolled her eyes and looked at her uncle.
"So mum tells me you've created some great new stuff?"
"Oh brilliant! Just on time!"
"For what?" Ron asked as he bent down to kiss his wife.
"Hugo said he could make it for dinner," she replied, clapping her hands and bouncing up and down.
Rose smiled as Ron looked startled at the news. "Really? He isn't skipping practice, is he?"
"Oh hush, Ron, one or two practices don't matter."
"But the last game of the season is soon!"
"Ronald, do you want dinner or not?"
Ron grumbled and headed to the couch, ruffling his now grey streaked hair free of soot.
"Uncle loved the food," Rose told Hermione as she handed her the empty box and stepped out of the fireplace.
"Oh, wonderful! Maybe I should cook for him more often!"
"How come you never send me lunch?" Ron grouched from where he sat squinting at the television. Rose had almost had a stroke when Ron had insisted they buy the idiotic Muggle device, but Hermione being Muggle-born, it wasn't that odd, considering both her and Hugo had been raised with knowledge of the ways of both Muggles and Wizards.
"Because you never appreciate it half as much, always grumbling about how you've to heat it and it's not nearly as good as when it's fresh."
"You can come and give it to me like you did George," Ron argued and Hermione thwacked him on the head.
"Just because I decided to work from home, doesn't mean I sit around doing nothing all day! Besides, if you want fresh food, why not come home instead of cribbing about it?"
Rose hid her smile as she sat beside her father, enjoying the familiar argument between her parents. It was nice to listen to once in a while, but on a daily basis… she would have gone mental if she hadn't left.
"Rosie, tell your father what an ungrateful fellow he is!" Hermione demanded and Rose picked up the remote to change the channel.
"Dad, mum's right. You should come home for dinner if you want fresh food. And mum, dad really does love your cooking, he just isn't very good at admitting it," she said, pausing in her channel changing as a baby polar bear appeared on the screen.
"See!" Ron said to Hermione – who huffed and walked away.
"Be glad you have such a diplomatic daughter who took after me!" she called over her shoulder and Ron frowned and crossed his arms.
"Good thing she has my looks and not yours," he muttered and Hermione placed something down with a bang.
"Did you say something, Ronald?"
"Absolutely not!" he shouted, squinting at the screen again. "What is that adorable little thing?"
"A baby polar bear, and dad, have you gotten your eyes tested recently?"
"Why, my eyes are perfectly fine! Besides, I don't like those ocllumentologists-watchamacallthem."
"Ophthalmologists," Rose said, rolling her eyes and waved her hand in front of his face. "You're squinting at the screen. Can you see clearly?"
"It's only blurred around the edges, nothing to worry yourself about." Ron waved her off, leaning forward and frowning. Rose turned off the TV and turned to face him.
"Why'd you do that for? I was watching it!"
"Dad, watching the telly when your eyes are bad will only make it worse," she said strictly as she wagged a finger at him. "Mum, will you take dad to the ophthalmologist when you have the time?"
"Tell that great old prat to agree to come and not make me drag his sorry arse all the way through town." came the immediate reply.
"I'm not old and my arse isn't sorry!"
"That's what you're going to fight about?" Rose asked with a sigh, already tired of her parents' pigheadedness. She walked up to help her mother when the telephone went off. She stared at the little black thing and then raised her eyebrows when neither of her parents seemed very inclined to answer it.
"Aren't you going to get that?"
"It's probably your grandpa shouting himself hoarse. No one needs him to lose his voice as well," Hermione said mildly, Levitating the food onto the table.
"What if it's some one else?"
"Like who?" Ron laughed, coming to sit down. "Nobody else calls us using that ridiculous Muggle contraption."
Rose rolled her eyes, walking to the telephone herself, the incessant ringing getting on her nerves. Her father reminded her of Renée—disregarding one thing as a useless Muggle contraption and revering another like it was the greatest discovery of Mugglekind.
"Good afternoon, you've reached the Weasleys," she chirped into the receiver.
"You've always wanted to do that, haven't you?" came the laughing voice.
"Hugh! What's going on? Why're you calling through Muggle phone?"
"I'm actually at Lily's right now and we all know how dear Nicky here feels about firecalling. And don't call me Hugh! It's Hugo!"
Rose ignored the usual response to her nickname for her brother and leaned against the table, feeling her parents' curious gaze on her. "So when're you coming? We're starting already."
"I'll be a while, have to catch the train—"
"Hugo, you can Apparate even if you can't floo, you know."
"And get myself splinched? No thanks!"
"That was years ago! You're obviously better at it now!"
"PTSD, dear sister. I'll be an hour at the most, don't wait for me. Bye!"
And the line went dead. She sighed and placed the receiver down, walking back to the table.
"Was that Hugo? Is he at Lily's?" Hermione asked, smacking her husband's hand as he reached for the food.
"Yeah, he said he'll be an hour."
"That long? Is he still scared about Apparating, that little wimp?"
Rose rolled her eyes at her father and sat down, pulling the bowl of mashed potato out of his reach. "PTSD, apparently. The things that boy comes up with."
Ron glowered at his wife and daughter and sullenly retracted his hand. "What's this PTSD nonsense, then? Some new disease he's concocted?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron, you can't concoct a disease," Hermione admonished, finally giving into his sulking and serving him a dollop of the mash. "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's a psychological illness—"
"Aha! So it's a disease after all!"
Mother and daughter shared a look as Hermione sat down across from Rose. "Well, we'll just have to start without him, then."
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he'll stop for a bite along the way anyway," Rose replied, serving herself some mash and crisps. "What's with all the potato?"
"Your grandma sent us all tons. Apparently she planted her whole garden full of them to use that new Fast Growing Seed potion that's all the rage now."
"Why potatoes? They're not even seeds."
"Who cares, at least we can have mash three times a day, now. Four, if your mother wasn't so stingy," Ron said, stuffing his mouth with said mash.
"And who is it that's going to have to take care of you when you fall ill? Your mother isn't going to, I'll tell you that much."
"Dun' baffmouf mum!" Ron said crossly, spraying Hermione with saliva and food.
"Eargh disgusting!" Hermione shouted, Scouring herself and then poking Ron hard with her wand. He shouted in pain and gagged, immediately causing Hermione to reach for him in concern. He grinned toothily at her and winked. Rose watched in amusement as Hermione's face went red and she Vanished the food from Ron's plate, leaving the latter staring at his now perfectly clean plate with a mortified expression on his face.
"C'mon, 'Mione, I was only teasing!"
"No more mash for you!" Hermione said, Vanishing the entire bowl full, making Ron whimper pitifully.
"My mash!"
Rose sat back and laughed as the standard row began with both her parents shouting at the top of their lungs. She Conjured two earplugs and plugged her ears, smiling contentedly as she scooped the mash and placed it in her mouth, humming at the familiar taste of her mother's cooking.
She looked up from her plate and saw a tawny owl hovering outside the sliding doors, looking thoroughly displeased. She made her way to the door and slid one open, unplugging one ear as the owl screeched angrily and landed on the closest chair, ruffling its feathers and fixing wide, enraged eyes on the three of them. She Summoned the crisps from her plate and held them out to the owl. It eyed them for a moment and turned away, fluffing its feathers and fixing a disapproving eye on her.
She snorted. She knew exactly who the owl belonged to. She leaned forwards and smiled when it took a step back. "May I have the letter?" she asked sweetly, smiling and waiting as the owl regarded her for a long moment and blinking slowly, stuck its leg out, raising its head regally. She untied the small piece of parchment from it and rolled it out, skimming its contents quickly.
It was barely five lines long, and read:
Office transfer complete. Taken the newbie under my wing until his rightful master arrives. I took the liberty of rearranging your office. Hope you don't mind too much. Renovations progressing smoothly, although the Maintenance crew wasn't too pleased when I asked if they could finish by the weekend. They'll still do it, though.
She stared at Scorpius's familiar handwriting, suddenly realising that it had been so long since she had seen it. Not since the time she read his essay in his application letter over five years ago. She touched it lightly and saw the tiny postscript at the very corner of the parchment.
P.s, I miss you.
She smiled despite herself and felt herself flush. It was very sweet, especially coming from him, and she immediately Summoned her Self-Inking quill that she always kept on her at all times. She flipped the parchment over and scribbled her reply on the back.
Good to see that you're being responsible and doing your work instead of being laid back and lazy. Tell the crew that tomorrow's lunch is on me, that'll definitely be enough compensation. And I shall see about my office. I may have to redo it since Renée is coming back, but I appreciate the thought. Thank you, Scorpius.
She twiddled the quill as she bit her lip, wondering what to reply to the postscript. She was too embarrassed and bigheaded to say that she missed him too. His owl squawked angrily and shook its still extended leg, eyeing her with clear disapproval. She snorted and quickly scribbled out her postscript.
P.s, I think your owl doesn't like me very much. See you soon. Love, Rose.
She rolled it up and tied it to the extended leg. "There, happy now?" she asked the owl and it clacked its beak at her. She held out a crisp and raised her eyebrows. It cocked its head to the side twice and then with another clack, swiftly pecked it out of her fingers, ruffled its feathers and with a final pompous look, took off, gliding smoothly out the door.
Just like her owner, Rose thought smugly as she slid the glass shut.
"Who was that from?" Ron asked as she sat back down. She scooped some mash before answering.
"Scorpius."
There was a long pause as she chewed slowly, not looking at her father. "Scorpius who?" he finally asked.
She looked up to see her mother roll her eyes and shake her head.
"Scorpius Malfoy."
"Ohh that fellow who works for you, who you order around?"
Hermione looked like she wanted to throw the carrot stick in her hand at her husband.
"I don't really order him around," Rose said and saw the way her father's shoulders slumped. "Not all the time," she added and smiled as he immediately perked up. Hermione looked like she was trying to remember that the carrot stick went into her mouth and not anywhere else.
"Good, good," Ron said, nodding with satisfaction.
"What did the letter say?" Hermione asked, serving her husband a large serving of mash that she had apparently made to reappear – probably to keep him occupied.
"Nothing, really, just letting me know of the renovation's progress."
"Renovation?" her mother asked, frowning slightly.
"Nothing major, simply shifting around rooms so as to accommodate the new library."
"Oh, yes, I heard you shifted all R&E related material. About time someone did that. The other departments should follow your example and do the same for their own data. It's such a hassle to have to keep waiting for permission every time you want something from the Level 4 or 5 archives," Hermione groused, tucking her hair rather forcefully behind her ear.
"You don't have full clearance?" Rose asked in confusion. Her mother held a rather high position in the Ministry – almost on the same level as the Unspeakables.
"Oh yes, of course I have clearance, but I'm talking about those who don't," she said, waving her spoon.
"That's my 'Mione, always concerned about us common folk," Ron said, beaming at his wife.
"Oh, rubbish," Hermione replied, although she looked pleased.
After about a half hour, Hugo arrived and immediately headed for the food, and Rose sat watching Hermione knit a multicoloured scarf – or rather, watched her mother hum as the scarf knit itself, although her control over it was flawless, considering all the years of practice she'd gotten – listening to her brother and father excitedly discuss the upcoming Quidditch tournament Hugo was to participate in.
She finally stood and excused herself as Ron and Hugo started to debate on whether some Quidditch technique was as difficult as it looked or not, yawning as she trudged up the stairs, feeling pleasantly full and sleepy although it was barely ten PM. She opened the door to her room carefully, squinting into the darkness and sniffing to smell the telltale scent of dust. When she didn't find any, she flicked her wand, turning the lights on and flopped back on her bed, sighing contentedly.
She stared up at her peach coloured ceiling and her eyes were slowly closing shut when the small fireplace in her room crackled. She started and sat up, staring wide-eyed at it as green flames spat out of the embers and then settled to form Scorpius's face. She immediately knelt down and stuck her head in with a worried expression when she saw the solemn look on his face.
"Scorpius? What's wrong?"
"Nothing as far as I know, but you may want to visit your uncle while you're away."
"My uncle? Which one?"
"The Auror."
"Uncle Harry? Why, is something the matter?"
"Remember good ol' Wernicks?"
"He didn't escape, did he?"
"No," Scorpius smiled gravely, "he killed himself."
A/n: Hullo! I rather liked writing this chapter because I wanted to write one with the whole family together. Although, all the Romione made me cringe [I've been turned into a complete anti-Romione person for various reasons] but I liked that it was rather light and fluffy.
And of course, the cliffie! [Don't shoot me pls]
A penny for your thoughts and a ginormous digital cookie for your reviews! And of course, my love!