A/N: Yay! Another chapter! I wasn't sure this would be posted tonight but I made it! I'm pleased to read all your reviews! I'm currently writing chapter ten... It's looking like that will be a long one. Enough of my rambling, on with the story!

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing of hers!

Chapter 9

The next morning, they awoke and began to prepare for the day Rose was to be released. Hermione was excited. She learned to love and appreciate the St. Mungo's staff, but it had none of the comforts of home. Hermione was looking forward to an actual shower -the cleansing charms only did so much- and more comfortable clothing.

Rose was the most awake she'd been in days. She was babbling happily and playing on her bed. Hermione ordered her some oatmeal for breakfast since the healers wanted to be sure her appetite returned before she left. When the food arrived, Hermione sat on the bed facing Rose, who was sitting up against the tilted angle of the bed. She took the spoon and blew on the hot item. She then directed it to Rose. It was not a convenient setting to feed a toddler. Hermione didn't want to complicate things and ask for a highchair, so this had to do. Rose crinkled her eyebrows and gave an angry face to her mum. She closed her mouth tight and moved her head to avoid the spoon. Hermione looked at her daughter surprised her daughter was declining her breakfast.

"Rose, it's oatmeal, see?" She attempted to feed Rose again, but was unsuccessful, as her daughter tried pushing the spoon out of the direction to her mouth. Ron watched the situation, trying to hide the chuckle of the toddler's scrunched up face.

"No!" She pouted shaking her head. Her face was puckered with disgust. Hermione's surprise was not replaced with concern.

Was Rose not fully healed?

She placed the spoon back in the bowl and scooted closer to Rose. She felt her forehead. Rose wiggled under her mother's hand, and pull to the left side of the bed. Hermione was now the one with the wrinkled brows as she tried to puzzle together what Rose wanted.

"Daddy o'meal!" She squealed, her eyes brightening as she turned to look at Ron. Her face was no longer angry, but enthused, awaiting her father to feed her. Ron's smile faltered at her words. He had only fed Teddy a few times, and that was always with Harry hovering over his shoulder, ready to jump in or help if needed. Hermione watched her daughter watch Ron. As the moments passed by, Rose glanced at Hermione to see what was taking so long.

"Mummy!" Rose called out.

"Okay, okay." Hermione turned towards Ron, he walked closer and she passed him the bowl, making sure their fingers didn't touch. Ron perched himself on the bed and mixed the bowl of oatmeal, steam still rising from it. Rose crawled closer and sat herself on Ron's lap. Hermione was astounded at Rose's forwardness. Back at home –well, their current home- she attended a daycare at Hermione's work, but, she was constantly shy and had a hard time whenever Hermione left her. She couldn't even leave her with a neighbor unless she was sleeping.

Ron looked at the tot, who was staring up at him with a huge grin on her face. His heart warmed at the sight, knowing he had a part in creating the small, beautiful, red-headed human. He pulled the spoon up and blew on it, as Hermione did earlier. He steered it toward Rose's mouth, and she instantly opened up and ate the food.

Hermione sat by watching the scene before her. She could hardly believe this was her daughter, being cared for by the love of her life: her daughter's own father. She felt a pang of jealously deep in her chest. She also felt great love. She was confused and conflicted with the emotions. She had cared for Rose since before she was born. Without him. And yet, here he now was, cradling their daughter and spooning in another round of oatmeal. Rose had only known the real him for just over 24 hours, and she'd already chose him over Hermione. She swallowed down the lump in her throat. She knew it was utterly ridiculous to be upset over something so stupid, especially after everything that had happened.

Ron looked over at Hermione; he himself was impressed with the way things had progressed that morning. He gave her a lopsided smile. She quickly gave a small grin back to him. But, not without him noticing the conflicting look in Hermione's eyes. His smile wavered, wishing he could read her mind, and turned his attention back to Rose. Hermione slowly crept off the bed and sat in the wooden chair that she had spent much of her time in since Rose was admitted.

Ten minutes later Rose had finished her oatmeal and was contently playing with one of her new toys in Ron's lap. Ron leaned down and kissed the top of her head, as he moved her from him and onto the bed. Rose instantly looked at Ron with confusion filled eyes.

"No," She said stubbornly as she tried to get on his lap once more.

"Rosie, I just need to use the loo. I'll be right there." He pointed at the door for the attached restroom. Rose looked to where Ron pointed, but, knitted her eyebrows together and pouted her lips looking back at Ron, confusion quickly replaced with anger. She held out her new Hippogriff plush toy to him.

"Daddy no go. Daddy play!" She demanded.

Ron saw the fury in his daughter's eyes. Ever since he first viewed Rose's eyes, he'd thought they looked like his. However, at this very moment he recognized something very Hermione about them. He glanced over to Hermione for assistance. She released a breath and went over to the nappy bag. After sorting through it, she pulled out a clean set of clothes and a new nappy. She made her way to the bed, dreading what she knew would come.

"Come on Rosie. Let's get you changed so you can see Healer Clarke," She spoke in a chipper tone trying to entice her daughter to make this easy. Rose didn't even acknowledge her mother. She kept staring into Ron's face. Hermione took a deep breath that released in a huff, and turned to Ron.

"Just go in there. Talk to her through the door; make sure she knows you're still there. She'll be upset, but she'll settle down in a bit." Hermione began to unfold the outfit and laying it on the bed, prepping for the battle ahead. Ron swallowed and nodded. Hermione acted as if something horrid was coming, and Ron wanted nothing to do with it: especially because he was the cause. He began to speak to Rose.

"I'm going in here for a minute Rosie. I'm not leaving." As the words left Ron's lips, Rose's began to tremble; tears also forming in her eyes.

"Daddy? No go!" Ron noticed a sudden dryness in his throat, feeling emotion flooding him quickly. He walked backwards and slipped into the bathroom, blinking back tears as he went.

"NO!" Rose shrieked.

Hermione acted quickly, pulling the squirming toddler flat down on the bed and began stripping her of her hospital gown. Rose wiggled and struggled to get free of Hermione's grasp. Ever since she was a year and a half, Hermione had a difficult time changing her when Rose wasn't in the mood for it. But, Hermione had done this for years, by herself, and was now a season professional at changing her daughter. Ron took Hermione's advice and kept telling her that he was still there behind the door. Rose had tears flooding from her eyes as Hermione finished pulling up her leggings, and untucked her dress to bring down over it. She picked up the tot who did not want anything to do with her that moment. Hermione carefully set her on the ground.

As soon as Rose's feet touched the cool laminate, she took off towards the door that hid her daddy.

"Daddy!" Rose sobbed while smacking the door with her little chubby fists. Hermione stood off to the side of the door, slightly behind Rose, with her arms crossed as she analyzed the situation.

"Daddy's still here Rose!" Ron called as the sink turned on. Small thumps were still vibrating through the door as Rose was not giving up anytime soon. The water stopped running and Hermione heard Ron mutter a refreshing charm. Immediately after that, the door opened and Rose fell right into Ron's legs. She hugged them tight gripping his jeans as she attempted to pull herself up while hysterically crying and repeating his name over and over. Hermione knew her heart was breaking, and she was just an observer. He gently hiked her up to his torso. She quickly flung her arms around his neck as he hugged her tight to his body. Ron swayed smoothly back and forth trying to calm the child.

"It's okay Rose. Daddy was just behind the door." He walked over to the chair he sat in the previous day and reclined back with his daughter still clinging to him; her back expanding and contracting rapidly from her tears. He rubbed her back, still rocking soothingly.

"I'm not going anywhere, love," Ron looked up to meet Hermione's gaze.

"I promise."

It took Rose some time to completely settle down. When she did, she stayed with Ron. Currently, he was reading her a story while she snuggled into him, holding her stuffed toy, and sucking on her dummy.

Healer Clarke gave a quick knock on the door and entered the room. She smiled and made her way to Hermione. Ron paused his reading and Rose looked up to see what caused the disturbance.

"Hello Rose!" Healer Clarke smiled and waved at the young child. Rose curled into her daddy even further, acting shy and gave a small smile back behind her dummy.

"She is too adorable. Now, I've been tracking Rose's levels like I've said. I'm extremely pleased to say that no negative changed have occurred. Her levels are completely healthy for her age."

"So… we can take her home?" Hermione grinned at the thought.

"Yes! I am having Nurse Bell submit all the discharge paperwork as we speak." Hermione smiled and looked over at Rose. As she did so, she caught the look on Ron's face. It surprised her to see that it was not a happy one, like she was wearing. Instead, it was serious and stern.

"I do have a few things to go over in order to monitor Rose's health in the next week. She will need plenty of rest, so do not be surprised if she wears out more easily or if she sleeps more often. She will also need to drink an ample amount of fluids. If she has any of the symptoms she had before she came in, let us know immediately. She isn't allowed to Apparate or Floo for at least three more days –I would prefer at least a week. If-"

"Wait, she can't even Floo? How are we to get home?" Hermione cut in. She expected no Apparation for Rose, but not even using the Floo network? She wasn't prepared for that. The Healer shook her head.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but I am taking all the precautions I can with Rose." Hermione nodded in affirmation. She knew Healer Clarke was just covering all the possibilities to keep Rose safe –and Hermione appreciated that more than she could say. The Healer finished up her instructions, had Hermione sign some paperwork, and left the room.

Hermione wasn't sure what to do next. She tried to think of any hotels in the area. She knew there were rooms to stay in Diagon Alley, but they weren't toddler friendly. She pulled out her mobile and started to search for hotels in the muggle area not too far from St. Mungo's.

"Hermione?" Ron spoke softly. She looked up and met his gaze, waiting for him to continue. Rose was running her hand around the illustrations and lines in the book, clearly uninterested in the adult's conversation. Ron cleared his throat.

"Why don't you and Rosie stay with me?" He was still cradling the small girl in his lap, as she flipped through the pages of the book. Hermione looked dumbfounded. They couldn't just stay with Ron.

"Ron, that's absurd! We couldn't possibly stay with you." She was shaking her head, turning back to her mobile which was currently telling her all the muggle hotel rooms were booked for the night.

"Come on Hermione!" Ron spoke convincingly, "It's about a two hour drive from here. And where else would you stay? The Burrow? Harry's? I didn't think you were ready to share your news with them this suddenly..."

Damn.

Hermione thought. She couldn't just go to anyone outside of Ron without having to explain herself again; she just didn't have the energy for it right now. She could contact her parents… but they decided to stay in Australia and would take them hours to get on a plane to visit. Hermione sighed and looked at Ron. His features relaxed a bit. He knew he was winning the discussion. She bit her bottom lip.

"It wouldn't be too much trouble?" Hermione asked in a small voice, remembering the only time she'd been there. Ron grinned.

"Of course not," Ron looked down at Rosie who had been tugging on Ron's shirt sleeve to continue reading. Ron focused his attention back on the tot, and continued to read. Hermione continued to chew on her lip at the thought of what would come next.

A/N: As you may have noticed, this is set in basically current times. I found that it was easier to write in times that I know well- so I decided to take that creative leap. I hope you don't mind too much. I hope you enjoyed the Rose & Ron moments. If so, leave a review, will you? More to come!