Disclaimer: I own nothing. A/N: I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I've been busy with schoolwork, SATs, and rowing 6 days a week. I hope to make the next one sooner.
The Naming of a Rose
-"Hermione we should pick out a name for her, you know,"
-"I know Ron, I just-," Hermione sighed and stroked her swollen belly. She was thirty- eight weeks pregnant and in two weeks it would be February 14th, the day that Baby Girl Weasley was due to be born. She couldn't wait for the baby to be born. Her ankles were swollen, her back ached, she could never find a comfortable sleeping position, she had to pee every ten minutes, and her internal body temperature was off causing her to put a cooling charm on the house when it was fifteen degrees outside.
Hermione sank further into further into her warm bubble bath where her belly, her toes, and her swollen breast bobbed to the top. Her hair recently cut to her shoulders to make for easy maintenance when the baby was born billowed around her head like a fan. Ron sat on the floor dressed in pajamas, right hand stroking her belly, his vibrant red hair in disarray, and face stubbly and unshaven.
-"It won't be like the others Hermione. We've had thirty- eight weeks of good luck where both of us have been on edge just hanging on day by day no knowing what would happen the next day. Whatever higher power there is, I don't think he… or she would suddenly let this baby become another Henry or Tallulah or… or Balthazar. Hermione, I just don't think that that will happen. Besides it could be fun, going through baby books trying to decide what to name her,"
-"I, yes, okay Ron let's decide what to name her. We'll have to go to Diagon Alley to buy a book of baby names later on today,"
-"No worries, Hermy, I bought a book ages ago- been keeping shrunken inside some old socks. I'll just nip up stairs and get them and make some tea. You stay right here and enjoy your bath,"
-"Wait, y- you already bought a book," Hermione said weakly. She couldn't believe that Ron had been able to hide something from her- he'd never been able to do that before they'd started trying to get pregnant. When had their life become a life of secrets and tiptoeing around each other all in the pursuit of their shared dream to have a baby? Even now has her due date approached both of them were on edge. Every time they went to a healer appointment with Padma they held their breath. They both thought that something would go wrong; that they wouldn't make it as far into the pregnancy as they did.
A few minutes later, Ron arrived with the baby book in his left hand and his wand in his right levitating two tea cups. He sat down the book and one cup and passed the other to Hermione. She took the cup inhaling the scent of the ginger tea.
-"Ron, you know I can't be angry at you when you bring me tea?"
-"I know, darling, that's why I brought it. We were almost out though, I thought I might have to nip over to Harry and Ginny's for some more but I managed to get by," Ron said with a mischievous grin. After years of knowing Hermione, he knew exactly what he could get away with and how to do it.
-Okay, Ron let's get to this naming game. We need to have choices so that we'll be prepared when our brood starts to outnumber Harry and Ginny's or even your parents," Hermione smiled.
Ron smiled when he saw Hermione smile. The possibility of them having a second child would probably be impossible; the fact that Hermione had made it this far into the pregnancy after three miscarriages was a miracle in itself. Anyway, it see Hermione joke lightly of a situation that had been so difficult for the both of them. Harry and Ginny had had James just hours after his and Hermione's second miscarriage. The both of them were experiencing bittersweet happiness, but nevertheless were excited to become godparents to the new baby. Now just four months after Hermione was due Harry and Ginny would be having their second child. Shortly after they got engaged, Ron and Hermione had decided that they wanted a family, but not one nearly has big as his; that maybe two or three children would be just the right fit for the two of them and the life they wanted to live.
The two of them sat in a peaceful silence sipping their tea and lost in their own thoughts for a few moments before beginning to play the name game.
-"You first Hermione, I want to see what name my bookish lady can come up with,"
-"Your bookish lady, really Ron! How about Imogen- she's a character in Shakespeare's play "Cymbeline"
-"According to the book, Imogen means innocent, girl. I think I like it- she'll be my little girl forever with a name like that," Ron said with a broad grin.
-"Okay, never mind, how about Malodora?"
-"Malodora!, she was a hag who was the real version of that Snow Yellow character you always tell me about, poison apple and all,"
-"Fine, Ron you give it a shot," Hermione said exasperatedly. The two resumed drinking tea for many moments both contemplating exactly what they would name their little girl.
-"I got it!" Hermione sputtered tea out of her mouth choking slightly because Ron had startled her so much with his exclamation.
-Hermione! Are you okay, can you breathe; I didn't mean to startle you? Are you sure you're okay," Ron began hastily patting Hermione on the back, felt her forehead with the back of his hand and then pressed the other against her belly. He only relaxed when he felt the hard press of the baby's foot against his hand.
-"Ron, I'm fine. I'm not going to have a miscarriage just because I choked on some tea. What was the name you came up with anyway?"
-"Oh, oh, yeah. How about Rose. It'll be like that Shakespeare character, Rosaline from Jomiet and Rumeo. Well, it will be a constant reminder to her that everything we do in our lives has consequences even if they're indirect. That can't be a bad lesson for a kid to learn right. Or it'll be like that lady who you were telling me about a few years ago, Rosalind Franklin, a muggle scientist that had something to do with genes but never got recognized until recently. A name that encourages hard work and perseverance is always good isn't it? So what do you think?"
Hermione's mouth gaped open. She couldn't believe what he had just said. She never thought that Ron actually listened to so much of what she actually said.
-"Ron its perfect, it's beautiful. Rose is so simple, but it has so much beauty and meaning. So now that that's settled, how about the middle name,"
-"Well, Hermione I suppose there's always the name Muriel. She is getting close to dying you know; mum thinks she only has a few months at the most,"
-"Rose Muriel Weasley. She'll hate us for it, but I like it,"
-"Great, now lets get you out of that bath tub you look like you have more wrinkles than Kreacher," Ron stood up and reached his arms out to help his wife out of the tub.
-"Wait Ron, get the tea first so it doesn't spill,"