Exactly twenty-six years after meeting his best friends on the Hogwarts Express, Ron Weasley found himself exactly where he had started, on platform nine and three quarters; only now he had a daughter to send off to Hogwarts.
Ron had proudly driven his family to King's Cross, having received his license a month earlier, only two weeks after Hermione had received hers. He had found out, almost straight away, that driving wasn't a bad skill to learn. Though he hadn't told Hermione, he had Confunded the instructor for his driver's test, just for a moment, a moment in which Ron panicked and forgot to look in his winged mirror. He had passed the test, with his insides only giving a slight guilty squirm.
Now, as Ron stood on the platform with his arm around Hermione, looking around at the family he had now, he decided if anyone had told him how his life was going to become, he would've never believed them, especially in the middle of the war. He would've never had thought, back in times when Voldemort was at large, that he would marry Hermione, raise two brilliantly talented children, and still be alive to talk about it.
Ron looked 'round, and left Hermione's side for just a moment to speak with Harry.
"So, mate," he said, cuffing his friend on the shoulder, "ever thought we would make it this far?"
"Never," Harry grinned. "D'you reckon they'll be as meddling as we were?"
Ron smirked. "Knowing Rose and Al - probably."
"- Especially since they're descendents of you two."
Hermione had appeared at Harry's side, smirking in just the slightest way. Ron grinned at her and knew just what to say to get her back. "Oh, I'm sure – as I remember, I don't recall you exactly following all the rules. Wasn't it you who came up with the idea for a secret student society right under Umbridge's nose in our fifth year?"
Hermione only rolled her eyes and didn't answer. This made Ron and Harry laugh, and Harry slung an arm over each of them. They stood like that for a moment, watching their families with their arms around each other, until Hugo came up to Harry complaining that Lily had stolen his bag of Gobstones. Harry left, and Ron called after his son, "Hugo, don't be such a snitch!"
His arm found Hermione's shoulders again and he looked down at his wife who he loved so much. They had been through so much; much more than two people can say they've been through together after twenty-six years, or even fifty years. He gently kissed the top of her head, and he felt her arms wrapping around his waist, squeezing him against her own body. After nineteen years together, Ron still felt like they were both eighteen and in love; he certainly acted that way.
The train whistle blew. Ron released Hermione just as Rose came up to them. Ron knelt down so he was level with her and spoke so only she and Hermione heard.
"Rosie, you work hard this term and keep out of trouble for me, alright?" Rose laughed and said with heavy sarcasm, "Okay, Dad."
Ron grinned, she reminded him so much of Hermione when she laughed. "Well, I have to say it; your mother relies on me for the important talks." Behind him, Hermione gently slapped him across the head and Ron laughed. It wasn't true, of course; in fact, most of the time, it was Hermione who was telling Rose and Hugo to stay out of trouble and it was Ron who encouraged it.
Ron stood and Hermione bent to look her daughter in the eyes. "Just be good, please? Have a normal experience at Hogwarts, because I never had one, thanks to this idiot."
"Hey! I wasn't your only problem!" Ron protested.
"Alright, you and your idiot famous friend." She turned her attention back to Rose. "Just promise me you'll be careful and you won't get into too much trouble -"
"Okay, Mum," Rose smiled and hugged her mother, allowing Hermione to kiss her cheek, and turned to Ron.
"'Bye, Dad," she hugged him, and Ron held onto her, not wanting to let go. Finally, he was forced to when the whistle blew one last time. "'Bye Rosie, you set off a few Dungbombs in the entryway for me, that ought to brighten Filch's day!" This earned him another slap across the head from Hermione, and she said exasperatedly, "Why do I waste my time telling her to be good when you go and say things like that?"
Rose laughed at her parents, shot her mother a mischievious grin that could only mean anything, and ran fleetingly to the train, which had started to roll.
Rose poked her head out of one of the windows and started waving. Ron and Hermione waved back, Ron desperately wanting to jump on the train and accompany her to Hogwarts, but restraining himself.
As he watched the train wheel out of sight, he began to feel how lucky he was, just at this moment. He was sending Rose to Hogwarts, where it was safest, and while there were no wars to be heard of in the wizarding world; a much better deal than what he got when he was in school.
Just as the train disappeared from sight, Ron dropped the arm that had been waving, feeling that the arm was now useless. He felt Hermione's hand on his jaw, turning his face to look at hers. She dropped a gentle kiss on his lips, and squeezed his hand in hers.
"She's going to be back," she told him, "and she's going to be safe at Hogwarts."
Ron smiled at her, kissing her once more and keeping his face close to hers. "I know."
Feeling strangely complete for the first time in years, Ron and Hermione fetched Hugo, who was talking with Lily about Hogwarts, said their farewells to the Potters, and left the platform, through the gates into the Muggle world.
