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

Chapter 18

Ron had just finished drying his hair and pulling a black tee shirt over his head as a small knock was heard at his makeshift bedroom door. He opened it slowly and on the other side was Hermione with a sleeping toddler in her arms. She had bags under her eyes, frazzled hair, and was only partially dressed; wearing a black pencil skirt and a vest tucked into it.

"Are you alright?" He whispered, knowing that he'd likely be hexed if he commented on her appearance. There was no 'good' way to say she hadn't looked well. She scoffed gently.

"Just great. Your daughter decided to stay awake as much as she could last night. Then, when she did sleep, she had to be on me, and if I moved a centimeter, she'd wake up!" She whispered harshly. "I've tried putting her down several times this morning to get ready, but I only get so far before she wakes crying again! Could you take her?" Ron nodded as they worked to detach the child from her to Ron as carefully as possible. It was similar to defusing a bomb, Hermione thought. Soon the slumbering child was lying in her father's hold, and Hermione sighed a breath of relief. As she looked down she noticed her vest had been pulled displaying part of her practical black bra, and a good portion of her breast. She quickly scrambled to cover herself, feeling her skin blush. Hoping Ron didn't see anything she muttered a thanks and rushed back to Ron's room.

What she didn't see was Ron's flushed skin as well. As he detached Rose from her mother, he noticed her top had slid, revealing much more than Ron had expected to see that morning. He quickly adverted his eyes, knowing that they were not yet in a position for him to be viewing her in that way. He tried to clear his head as he ventured into the kitchen for some breakfast.

About twenty minutes later, Hermione came into the room, fully dressed, now wearing a pale yellow cap sleeve blouse; hair pinned tightly to the back of her head in a low bun, and no longer had bags under her eyes. In fact, her eyes looked a bit different. He couldn't place what was different about them. They looked slightly larger, and her eyelashes were a few shades darker than usual.

"Okay, I'm off." She announced, still speaking softly not to wake Rose. She approached Ron quietly, her shoes clicking against the hardwood floor, and carefully gave a kiss to Rose's head. "Be good for daddy and grandmum, darling. I love you Rosie." She whispered to the sleeping girl.

She stepped back and watched the two momentarily as she bit her lip. She knew the longer she stayed the more difficult it would be to leave. She snatched a piece of toast from Ron's plate and waved a quick goodbye as she was covered in green flames.

Ron continued to eat his breakfast and get ready for the day with Rose still fast asleep on his shoulder. Around 7:00 he decided to get her dressed and ready for his mum. He wanted to make sure he had plenty of time for Rose to become comfortable with his mum before he needed to leave for work.

He laid her down on the soft white comforter and began to change her from her pajamas. She began to stir and squirm as he got her new nappy on. She squinted up at him from the light in the room. He grinned and bent down to give her a kiss on the head.

"Morning Rosie." He said softly. She blinked a few times and rubbed her chubby fist into her eyes. When she removed them, Ron was pulling on a frilly light purple blouse over her head. As he reached for her white shorts when her brows ruffled in confusion.

"Mummy?" Ron paused momentarily, slightly panicked that Rose would have a meltdown, but swiftly continued to grab the clothing and pull them up her legs.

"Mummy went to work, love. She'll be back later." Rose's lip began to wobble and tears formed in her eyes.

"I want mummy." She said, still not having an outburst, but on the verge of one. Ron lifted her on her legs to get her shorts over her nappy covered bum, and then crouched slightly to look in her watery eyes.

"I know Rosie, but she'll be back later. We're going to play until then." She sniffled a few times and her face grew red. Ron thought quickly and picked her up, bringing his daughter to snuggle into his chest. He could hear her breathing calm down slightly, but she still wriggled and the dam broke, letting all the tears flood loose. He frantically looked for something to calm her down, knowing that her lamb must be around there somewhere. He found it ruffled in the bedsheets where she had spent most her night with Hermione.

"Want. Mummy." The tot wailed, clinging to her father's neck. Ron thought his heart was breaking as he heard her cries.

"Here Rosie, look! It's lamby!" Ron offered it to the upset child. After a moment, she peeked from over her arm and snatched the lamb from him. She brought it to her chest and hugged it as it curled slightly into her neck. He also found her dummy and gave it to her as well. At this point, he'd do anything to keep her happy. He didn't want Hermione's plans to be disrupted to come back early, and he certainly didn't want to hear any more heart-wrenching screams. Ron stood there rocking Rose gently trying to completely calm the small girl.

A few moments later, she calmed enough for Ron to gather the essentials in the nappy bag and Flooed them over to the Burrow.

Molly greeted the pair happily dusting her hands on her apron, leaving a smear of flour behind. She reached up and kissed Ron on the cheek, and waved a hello to Rose who was still cuddled into her father's embrace. Fleur was sitting on the worn sofa sipping from a teacup, while her daughter played on the floor with some toys. She greeted the pair from her seat, continuing to watch her daughter.

"Fleur thought it would be best if Victorie stayed here today so Rose had a friend to play with." Mrs. Weasley mentioned to Ron. He nodded and sat down on the floor next to where Victorie was playing. He shifted Rose so she sat on his lap, still reluctantly clinging to Ron.

"Heya Victorie." Ron smiled at the girl just a few months younger than his own daughter. The blonde child looked up and grinned at Ron. At his voice, Rose raised her head, now seeing the other child playing on the floor. She craned her neck to see her fully and observed the girl her daddy was talking to. Ron freed his hand closest to her and started rearranging the toys she was playing with.

"Unkee Von!" She giggled, shaking her head from side to side. Rose raised an eyebrow seeing Ron play with this tot. She kept watching the child and slowly slipped herself from Ron's lap and to the hardwood across from her cousin. She still held her lamb to herself and with dummy in mouth, cautiously reached for a toy that was currently discarded. When she brought the toy up for her to look at, Victorie noticed it was missing. As the blonde looked at the chubby hand that held her toy, she giggled. Rose looked back at the tot and giggled as well. Ron watched the situation carefully; unsure what was being said in toddler language, but thrilled it was going well. The girls seemed to break the tension and continued to play happily with each other, like the night previously.

Ron sighed a breath of relief and leaned forward to kiss Rose on the head, which she did not notice since she was far too busy playing with her new friend. He stood, snatching the nappy bag, and walked over to his mother in the kitchen. She was kneading dough on the countertop, slanting forward, pushing deep into the sticky substance. Ron took a seat across from her on a stool by the counter, dropping the bag on the floor. He glanced up at his mother slaving away. He knew she would have something to say to him after his impromptu announcement the night before. He just wasn't sure when it was bound to come out. She matriarch looked up when they heard the two toddlers squealing in joy, with Fleur's soft chuckles shortly behind. This put a grin on the older woman's face. She sighed and Ron knew this was the moment.

"You could have told your father and me. Harry and Ginny knew before us? It's our granddaughter!" She exhaled exasperatedly.

"Mum, Harry knew before I did, remember? Hermione told him to come to Mungo's before she talked to me. Then Ginny barged in through the Floo, not really giving us a choice to tell you and dad first." Ron argued softly. His mother shook her head, knowing he was right.

"I mean really Ronald, in this house? Under our roof?" She questioned. "Teenage hormones." She muttered, digging harder into the dough. "You should have kept that thing to yourself!" She whispered harshly.

"Merlin, Mum!" He looked back toward Fleur and the children playing, certainly paying no attention to the conversation between Ron and his mother. "And for the record, she came into my room! I didn't take advantage of her. It was completely consensual!" He spoke keeping his voice low, a blush creeping up the back of his neck.

"Oh Ronald. I'm not saying that! Just that, well." She stopped kneading the dough at this point. "That you should have thought about casting a contraceptive charm or something; leaving her pregnant while you were at training! I hope you are being smarter about that now!" She eyed him, giving him a look he learned that meant business over the years.

"Mum. That's not even a concern at the moment." Ron wanted to fall through the floor instantly, from discussing his sex life with his mother. She continued to watch him.

"Mmhmm." She muttered, clearly not convinced. "Look, I'm glad Rose is here. She is a wonderful little girl, and I love her dearly already. But, don't bring another child into this world until the two of you are married. Please." Ron knew his flushed skin turned another shade brighter of red. He exhaled deeply.

"Fine mum. Just, please don't mention any of this when Hermione picks up later. She was terrified to tell you mum." Ron managed, as Mrs. Weasley softened her look. "She thought you would hate her. I told her that wasn't possible, but she believed it. Probably thought having a child out of wedlock made her a lesser woman or something. So please, just keep it light? She doesn't need any more stress right now." It was now his turn to eye his mother to show his meaning. The wrinkled woman looked over at her grandchildren playing and then back at Ron.

"Alright, love." She agreed. "Not a word, I promise."

"Thanks mum." Mrs. Weasley nodded. Ron glanced at the clock and knew it was time for him to sneak away. His mother followed his gaze, and laid the dough in a dish. She cleaned her hands and walked to the living room, as Ron walked through the hallway keeping hidden from sight.

"You lovelies ready for some breakfast?" Molly asked her granddaughters.

"Hungee!" The girls shouted. The matriarch bent down to pick up Rose, who was much more relaxed than the night before. She tentatively allowed her gandmum to hold her and take her to the table as Fleur followed with Victorie. As their backs were turned, Ron walked into the fireplace, taking a final account of Rose safely with his mum, and Flooed to the Ministry.

Hermione walked into the mess of a den she once stood in just days prior. Not knowing how long she had until Rose would need her; Hermione set to work quickly packing things away with the assistance of magic. Items and furniture pieces flew around, shrinking themselves down to be toted away. After a bit the entire den was packed and she moved to Rose's room.

She looked around the nursery she created for her daughter. The light yellow room was decorated minimally, but it was what she could afford at the time. She walked over to the old crib she found at a secondhand store. She ran her hand over the worn wood and shrunk it down to fit into her suitcase. The action caused the mobile above it to sway slightly, and gently play a soft tune. Hermione smiled at the action, reaching up to touch the small figures of fabric farm animals hanging from the device. She wound the turn causing the music to play joyfully. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to remember just how many times she sang the same song to Rose. She remembered back to one night just a few years earlier.

...

Rose wailed from her crib, at just five months old, she had quite the set of lungs. Hermione swiftly entered the room. It was three in the morning and Hermione knew that she would not be sleeping that night. It seemed Rose knew what day it was as well.

"Shh, Rosie girl. It's alright sweetheart." Hermione gently cradled the babe in her arms. Rose calmed slightly, now crying instead of screaming. Hermione grabbed a cloth and paced over to the rocking chair in the corner of the room. With a crack of moonlight illuminating the room, she sat while Rose clawed and grasped at her shirt. Knowing what she wanted, Hermione slid down the shoulder of her over-sized t-shirt and attached Rose to her breast. With the cries instantly gone, and Rose contently eating away, Hermione was brought back to the reason she couldn't sleep.

It had been one year since she left the Burrow. One year since she saw the woman she considered to be her mother. One year since she left the place that had been her third home, with Hogwarts being her second. One year since she left them all behind.

A tear spilled out the corner of her eye. She sniffled and glanced up at the photo that was hung by Rose's crib. The redhead whom she loved for years stood laughing at something off camera, then turned looking toward the camera and displaying a wide crooked grin. She remembered how that would turn her to mush; how just looking at a picture of it now would make her heart clench and tears form in her eyes.

She looked at her daughter who was staring wide eyed back at her. Hermione sniffed a bit to keep her sobs under control – something she had been working on all night. She knew this little girl needed her to be strong. After all, she was the only one to care for her; the only one to love her. Hermione bit her lip and rocked gently in the chair as she tried to shake away the pain that resonated in her heart. She brushed the soft red curls that sprung from her daughter's head, just imagining how beautiful they would be as she grew.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine… You make me happy when skies are grey." Hermione sang softly to her small daughter, still tenderly rubbing her face. With her mother's soothing voice and soft touch, her eyes closed and slowed her pace in eating. "You'll never know dear, how much I love you… Please don't take my sunshine away."

…

As the song ended the mobile stopped. Hermione couldn't help but notice which creature landed right in front of her vision: a lamb. Hermione smiled and shook her head. Perhaps that is why Rose was so taken with the toy her father had given her. She moved her memories aside and finished packing Rose's room.

She packed the rest of the cottage and sent the suitcases to Ron's flat. She had just checked the time when a silvery terrier ran toward her. He rubbed his side against her legs while circling her and then sat patiently to relay its message. She chuckled softly and bent down to pat the dog on its head.

"What is it?" She asked. In Ron's voice the message was announced.

"Hope everything is going well. Just left Mum's and Rose was playing happily. She seems to be fine. We're meeting with Kingsley at 10:00 if you can make it back in time."

Hermione sighed a breath of relief knowing her daughter had taken the change smoothly. She took one last look at the place she called her home for the past three years. It held memories that were good and bad: the room where she cried herself to sleep for countless nights, the bathroom where her water broke, the floor where Rose took her first steps. She couldn't believe that she was leaving; it was bittersweet. She took a breath knowing that the memories she would make with Rose in England with her family would be far more important. She closed her eyes and Apparated to the American Ministry of Magic.