Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Sequel to "Law Change Lives". Hermione and Ron are settling into their new roles as parents, but nothing is ever as easy as it seems.

CHAPTER 5

Hermione followed the directions of the nurse and navigated down a private wing of St. Mungo's with Rose on her hip, now sucking on a pretzel Hermione had given her. Within minutes she found Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, and George lined up in three chairs outside of what she assumed was Fleur and Bill's hospital room.

"Hermione! Good to see you!" Mrs. Weasley smiled at her daughter-in-law and gave both Rose and Hermione a kiss.

"How is Fleur doing?" Hermione asked.

"As well as expected…the healer said it should be soon." Mrs. Weasley smiled and then studied Hermione for a moment. "You look tired, dear…"

"I am…I am…been a little hectic in the house with everything going on at the Ministry." Hermione admitted with a sigh as Rose grabbed at her pleated hair.

"What's going on at the Ministry? Is that where Ron is?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

Hermione looked at her mother-in-law with a confused expression. "Well, yes…working that break out case thoroughly."

"Break out?" Mrs. Weasley looked at Mr. Weasley and George, slightly confused.

"Ah…yes…remember, Molly? I showed you it in the Prophet a few days ago." Mr. Weasley said.

"Oh…Azkaban, right!" Mrs. Weasley nodded with a small laugh. "Honestly, we were up at Shell Cottage…we nearly forgot that was happening…"

"Forgot? Wasn't their Auror's up there with you?" Hermione asked, slightly confused. She had been under the impression that none of the Weasley's were safe, and they, like her parents, were being protected by Auror's.

"No…no need. Shell Cottage was a safe house…no one could get to us there." Mr. Weasley explained.

"Must be bloody nice…I haven't been able to leave my apartment." George grumbled.

Rose glanced up at her uncle and made a pouting face.

"I take it you either, little Rosie…" George laughed at his niece.

"No…no we've been locked up for a few days." Hermione said, a little hurt that Ron had not offered for both her and Rose to go to Shell Cottage and be around other people instead of keeping them locked up in Grimmauld Place.

"Hey…why don't I take Rosie to get some ice cream?" George offered.

"Uh…sure…yes…that's fine." Hermione handed Rose to George. "Vanilla only, George! And just a tiny bit!"

"So a large chocolate?" George joked over his shoulder as he moved down the hall with Rose who was playing with the collar of his shirt leaving Hermione alone with her in-laws.

"How have things been, Hermione?" Mr. Weasley asked, obviously been a bit more in tune with things then Mrs. Weasley since he worked at the Ministry.

"I…uh…" Hermione tried how to explain things without sounding annoyed at Ron now. Unfortunately, she hardly had a chance, as Ron's voice filled the hall.

"Hermione?!" Ron nearly was screaming as he ran down the hall at his wife and parents. "Where's Rose?!"

"With George…Ron, what's wrong?" Hermione turned around and felt Ron colliding with her, pulling her in for a huge hug.

"Bloody hell…I thought something happened! I got home and it was empty!" Ron said, seeming to relax now that he could see that Hermione was safe. He glanced down the hall to see George moving with Rose and a small cup of ice cream, looking slightly confused.

"Rose…" Ron moved forward and scooped Rose out of his brother's hands, holding he baby just as tightly as he had held Hermione.

"Ron…we are fine…what's wrong?" Hermione asked as Ron turned back to his now confused parents, brother, and wife.

"I…I told you…I got home…you weren't there and I thought something happened." Ron told her.

"Ron, I left you a note on the counter…" Hermione reasoned.

"Right…because when I come home to a bloody empty house that's the first place I am going to look for clues!" Ron's worry had seemed to pass and now he seemed slightly upset.

"Clues? Clues for what?" Hermione said in a low voice, trying to signal for Ron not to start an argument there. That was the last thing she wanted in front of his parents and he could tell Mrs. Weasley was watching them closely.

"About what could have happened to you both." Ron motioned to Rose. "I had no bloody clue, Hermione. I thought…I mean…I asked you to stay at the house!"

"Ron…your brother was having a baby! Didn't you get an owl at the Ministry?" Hermione glanced at Mrs. Weasley who had written the owl to them.

"No!" Ron snapped back and then glanced at his mother. "Is that why we are all here?"

"Well, yes, dear. I only wrote an owl to Grimmauld Place. I thought you would be home." Mrs. Weasley explained.

"Wait…then what are you doing here?" Hermione was confused as to how Ron found them.

"Bloody…did every spell I could think of to see where the fireplace had flooed you! When it was here…I thought something happened!" Ron explained. "I…BLOODY HELL, Hermione! Do you know how worried I was?!"

"You do not need to yell at me like a child…" Hermione stepped towards Ron and whispered.

"Well then listen when I tell you something is important." Ron countered. "Something could have happened to you."

"Nothing happened. I have been here with your family this whole time, Ronald. I didn't think it was a big deal…I thought you knew. Now…can we please have this discussion at home. Not in front of your parents…" Hermione was still whispering.

"Fine." Ron said, his expression somewhere between worried and annoyed.

Hermione couldn't exactly blame him. She realized she had scared him, and it was nice to know just how deeply he cared for her and Rose, but she did not want to give his mother another reason to dig into their relationship. This was a conversation for the two of them to have alone. She was grateful he seemed to be acknowledging that.

Before anyone could say another word, however, Bill came rushing out of Fleur's room, and the Weasley's attention was no longer on Ron and Hermione, but rather on the eldest Weasley.

"It's a girl! She's near perfect!" Bill grinned madly.

"Another girl!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, hugging and kissing Bill madly as he continued to grin, all of her energy now focused on the new exciting news of another grandchild rather then whatever dispute Ron and Hermione had been having.

After about an hour of standing in the hall at St. Mungo's and Ron hardly talking to Hermione except to hand Rose to her, the door to Fleur's hospital room opened yet again and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stepped out, all smiles.

"Victoire is absolutely beautiful! A spitting image of Fleur…" Mrs. Weasley said.

George just smirked and gave a small nod next to Ron causing Hermione's brow to scowl as she looked down at Rose. To her, Rose was beautiful, perfect, and she knew many other people said the same thing, but a child that was part Veela would certainly be astonishingly beautiful. Hermione hoped this would not create tension for Rose and Victoire as they got older.

"Hermione…are you coming or what?" Ron asked, breaking Hermione from her thoughts.

Hermione glanced up, realizing she had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she had not heard Ron. "Hmm?"

"Bill and Fleur want us to bring Rose in to see them." Ron said, as if he had already said it a few times.

"Oh…yes…of course." Hermione nodded, moving past Ron into the hospital room that Ron was holding the door open to.

When they entered the room, Ron and Hermione found Fleur sitting up in bed with a beautiful blonde baby girl wrapped tightly in pink blankets and Bill sitting in the corner of the room, smiling but tired.

"I remember looking like that…" Ron grinned at his older brother and shook Bill's hand. "Congratulations."

"Absolutely! To both of you!" Hermione smiled at Bill and Fleur.

"Thank you." Bill smiled warmly at his brother and sister-in-law.

"She's perfect." Ron grinned at his niece which Fleur had moved up so that Ron and Hermione could see the baby.

"Zank you, Ronald." Fleur smiled but also seemed tired. "And Zank you both for coming, and bringing little Rozie…"

"Of course…now there are two Weasley girls running around." Ron smiled.

Hermione nodded and sat down in the chair Bill had gotten up from so that Rose could see the baby and Hermione could meet her niece.

"She's so little, and beautiful, Fleur." Hermione whispered softly. Seeing the new baby reminded her of the day she had Rose, and all the feelings that came along with being a new mother.

"Takes after her couzin…" Fleur smiled warmly at Rose.

Rose seemed interested in Victoire and picked her head up from Hermione's shoulder to examine her.

"Do you see the baby, Rose?" Hermione said softly.

"Dazzzz…" Rose pointed to Victoire and then turned back to Hermione with big eyes and seemed excited.

Ron laughed and so did Hermione. Despite them being a little upset with each other, they could always agree on the simple fact that Rose was amazing.

"That Victoire…your cousin, Rose." Bill said softly.

Rose glanced up at the sound of her name and smiled warmly at Bill before tucking her head back into Hermione's neck.

"How are you feeling, Fleur?" Hermione asked as she felt Rose settle against her neck, obviously tired from skipping her nap.

"A little tired…and have some aches…" Fleur admitted.

Hermione gave a warm smile and a nod. After last year, she had gotten slightly closer with Fleur. "Yes…that's to be expected. It will get better."

"I give you credit for this…Hermione…I don't know how you managed. In zee woods, and then having zee baby and all you do now. You have been an inspiration…" Fleur said warmly and reached out to give Hermione's and a little squeeze.

Hermione couldn't help but smile back. It was nice to hear that, especially coming from Fleur.

"Do you want to hold Victoire?" Bill asked Ron and Hermione.

Hermione just gave a nod to Rose to show that Rose was sleeping and there was no way she could move her.

"I will." Ron said rather quickly, which surprised Hermione. She had remembered when Rose was first born and Ron was almost scared to hold her. Of course, he had months of practice under his belt now.

Fleur smiled and handed Victoire off to Ron who gently sat down on the edge of the bed closer to Hermione and Rose. He smiled down at his infant niece, and Hermione detected some of the same look of awe Ron had when Rose was first born, though there were no tears as he held his niece.

"You look good with a baby, Ron." Bill joked.

Ron looked up at his brother and laughed before turning to look at a now sleeping Rose. "Well…I look better with a kid with red hair…"

Bill laughed and Hermione even cracked a smile, though she had to admit, something about Ron holding a new baby suited him. He looked so comfortable with a baby, even one as small as Victoire. She had been so used to seeing Ron with Rose, who, even though she was still tiny for her age, looked like a monster next to the newborn. It was strange to see Ron's big hands holding such a small life, and yet, as Bill said, it suited him just the same.

Two hours later, and very few words between the pair, Hermione and Ron flooed home to Grimmauld Place and Ron moved silently to put Rose down to bed. Rose had fallen asleep at the hospital and was now resting on Ron's shoulder.

"Don't change her…let her sleep. I'll give her a bath in the morning." Hermione whispered to her husband.

"Sure." Ron nodded and moved up the stairs to the nursery with Rose, leaving Hermione alone in the kitchen.

Hermione sighed as she found the note she had written to Ron about going to St. Mungo's still on the counter. She crumpled it up and tossed it out, knowing it had served no purpose and recalling the lovely display of an argument she and Ron had put on in front of his family because of it.

Hermione then moved to pour herself a glass of water, and by the time she had done so, Ron had moved back into the kitchen, causing Hermione to jump as she had not seen or heard him.

"Sorry." Ron mumbled.

"Its fine." Hermione put her glass of water down. "Did you get Rose down?"

"She's still asleep." Ron nodded.

"Good…she was tired. She completely missed her nap today." Hermione said shortly. She herself was tired, and although she wanted Ron and herself to she to talk about what had happened at the hospital, she was not sure she wanted to right then and there. She thought it would be best to sleep on it for a bit.

Ron could tell Hermione was avoiding eye contact with him. "Hermione…I'm sorry 'bout earlier…at the hospital…I was just worried when I got home and you weren't here…"

Hermione looked up at Ron and twitched her nose in the same way she always did when she was thinking about something. "I…I am too, Ron. I thought you would get the note…"

Ron gave a small smiling, thinking the discussion was over. "Well…reckon it wasn't the easiest note to find."

"I…" Hermione had not expected that from Ron. She had anticipated more of an apology for making it into such a scene in front of his parents. "It was right on the counter…"

"Well…yeah…but I mean, why would I look there? I panicked didn't I? But it's fine…I forgive you, love." Ron moved forward to kiss Hermione on the forehead.

Hermione remained rigid in his grasp. "Well…that's so thoughtful of you…but, is that really the issue here?"

"I…what?" Ron stepped back, realizing that Hermione was now glaring at him. "How can you be mad at me? You're mad that I was bloody worried about you and Rose? Would you rather I not worry 'bout my bloody wife and daughter?"

"No! Of course not…but I am mad that you caused such a scene in front of your family." Hermione said, folding her arms across her small chest.

"A scene? Hermione…my family doesn't care…" Ron started.

"Well, I do, Ron! I don't want to give your mum another reason to talk poorly about me." Hermione huffed.

"Talk poorly? Are you mental, Hermione? She loves you!" Ron defended his mother.

"Just not my parenting…and I saw the look I got while you were fighting with me in the hall! She thinks I'm always at fault for everything!" Hermione tossed her hands up.

"She does not! She thinks your bloody brilliant with Rose! She's told me that a million times! And she knows I've got a temper!" Ron shook his head. He knew his mother had gotten on Hermione about Rose a few times, but he thought Hermione was being a little dramatic about it.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Please, Ron…I wasn't bored yesterday! That's probably why you didn't bother to tell me that I could have been at Shell Cottage for the week with other adults instead of locked up here with your daughter and no other adult!"

Ron shook his head in disbelief. "Shell Cottage? Hermione, the only reason I didn't tell you to go up there is I figured you didn't want my mum driving you bloody mental all week! In case you forgot, the past few weeks you have been laying into my mother pretty thick…"

"Me?! Have you seen how she is with Rose…constantly judging everything she does! You've been there…you've seen it!" Hermione retorted.

"She just worries and cares about Rose. She just wants to make sure she is doing well…" Ron shook his head again.

"There is a difference between showing you care and completely judging my mothering…" Hermione snapped back. "My mother doesn't judge me…or Rose's abilities."

"Oh, I forgot, your mother is so bloody perfect." Ron rolled his eyes with a snort.

"Oh, and what is that supposed to mean?" Hermione said, anger in her voice.

"Nothing…" Ron shook his head, realizing this argument was not one he was going to win. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Nothing…your right…your mum doesn't hound like mine."

Hermione realized that as hurt as she was by Ron's comment about her own mother, he might feel the same about her's in regards to his mother, and so she decided to take a deep breath as well before speaking. "Your mother isn't a hound, Ron."

"Well…I mean…obviously she has said a few things…" Ron said, digging his hands into his pockets. "I know she has…and I know it bugs you…that's why I didn't suggest Shell Cottage. I figured you were just better off here with Rose…less stress…"

"Ron…she doesn't bug me. She just…can be overbearing sometimes…especially right now, pushing the idea of another baby and all…" Hermione admitted. That was the main reason she had been so stand offish with Mrs. Weasley. She was not ready for another baby, even if she had acknowledged how good Ron had looked holding Victoire early that day; they were years off from that again.

"Yeah, I know." Ron nodded.

"But I know she loves Rose, I know that." Hermione added.

"She loves you too, Hermione. Trust me…if she didn't like you, you would know it." Ron dared to take a step closer to his wife.

Hermione sighed and allowed Ron to wrap his arms around her. "I suppose that's true. She was awful with Fleur at first."

"And now look at her. She was so excited to see Fleur and Victoire today." Ron said, kissing the top of Hermione's head.

"Well…how could she not be? She is a great grandmother…and Victoire is beautiful." Hermione said, meaning every word about her niece.

"Well…yeah…and now there will be some heat taken off of Rose. Mum will be more bearable." Ron added.

"She's fine, Ron. Please don't even bring this up to her." Hermione glanced up at her husband.

Ron shook his head. He knew better then to repeat a word Hermione said to his mother. "I won't."

Hermione gave a thankful smile and snuggled close to his chest. "It was cute seeing Rose with Victoire today."

Ron smiled and gave a small laugh. "Yeah…was cute…"

Hermione pulled back and swore she saw a certain look in Ron's eyes as he spoke about his daughter around the new baby, but it passed quickly as Pig came flying in with another letter.

Instantly, Ron let go of Hermione and snatched the letter before Pig had a chance to bang into things and wake Rose up. The letter was addressed to him and was from the Ministry. He quickly tore it open and scanned it quickly.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, nervously.

"Well…looks like I don't have to head back into work tonight." Ron said, a small smile as he glanced up at Hermione.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Looks like all the Death Eaters were recaptured…" Ron smiled wider.

"Really?" Hermione said, sounded relieved.

"Well…except Yaxley and…well…Umbridge…but honestly, its just a matter of time now." Ron said, sounded a little relieved himself.

"Oh…" Hermione nodded. She had wished they had all been caught, but she felt better knowing most of them were off the streets, and she would not let Umbridge scare her.

"It will be fine. We will catch them all…" Ron stepped forward, running a thumb down Hermione's arm. "Now, come on…lets go get some sleep, yeah?"

"Sure." Hermione gave a tired smile, realizing she was nearly as exhausted as Ron looked, and sleep sounded like a wonderful thing.