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 6
Hermione took a deep breath as she checked herself over in the mirror. Her hair was pulled back into a simply ponytail, and she was in a dress suit. She was heading into her first official day of work at the Ministry and she was a bit nervous, though she did not want to show it.
"You look bloody beautiful." Ron said, sticking his head into their bedroom.
Hermione turned to see her husband dressed for work, and holding Rose in one arm. She smiled warmly at her little family. "Thank you."
"No problem." Ron smiled brightly at his wife.
Hermione smiled again and then turned back to the mirror once more, taking another deep breath.
"Relax." Ron told her.
"I'm trying…" Hermione seemed to laugh out as she turned her back to the mirror for good and moved toward Ron who was holding Rose out to her now.
"I need to run to work…so…." Ron handed Rose off to Hermione.
"I'll drop her at your mothers and then see you at work, I suppose?" Hermione asked.
"Sounds brilliant." Ron smiled, leaning in and kissing Rose and Hermione both. He ran a hand over Rose's head. "Be good for Grandma, Rosie…"
Rose gurgled some incoherent words at Ron, which made him laugh.
"I completely agree, Rosie…" Ron managed out with a smile.
"Say bye to Daddy, Rose." Hermione said.
Rose gave her father a wave, which caused him to laugh again before he waved back to his daughter and headed out their bedroom door.
"Alright…Rose…let Mummy get her briefcase and your diaper bag and then we will get you to Grandma's house…" Hermione said to her daughter.
"Ma…Ma…Ma…" Rose sang, causing Hermione to smile as well, and ease some of Hermione's nerves about being heading into work. Rose always had a way of calming Hermione no matter what was bothering her.
The Burrow was loud with the sound of Victoire crying and Fleur's voice over the yelling baby's trying to sooth the newborn, when Hermione and Rose flooed to Ron's childhood home.
Hermione gave Fleur, who was sitting on the couch in the living room, a small smile as she stepped out of the fireplace with Rose.
"Hermione?" Mrs. Weasley rounded out of the kitchen and smiled, moving to give Hermione and Rose a big kiss each.
Rose giggled against her grandmother's skin.
"Good morning!" Hermione smiled brightly at her mother-in-law.
"Excited for work today, Hermione?" Fleur asked, as Victoire's cries slowly stopped.
"Yes." Hermione said as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She noticed how tired Fleur looked, and she remembered how it had been when Rose was a newborn. However, Hermione was certain Fleur still looked a million times better then she had when she had been that tired as a new mom. Even with the small black circles under her eyes, there was still something beautiful about Fleur.
"Well, you will do wonderful, dear! No need to be nervous." Mrs. Weasley patted Hermione's bag.
"Thank you so much for taking her…" Hermione handed Rose off to Mrs. Weasley and places Rose's diaper bag on the floor.
"Not a problem, dear!" Mrs. Weasley grinned widely.
"Well…I packed her a change of clothes, some diapers and some baby food. Also, a book…if you need it to put her down for a nap and—" Hermione breathed out quickly.
"Hermione, relax! We will be fine! I've had six of my own!" Mrs. Weasley reminded her.
"Right." Hermione felt her cheeks flush as she leaned in and kissed Rose. "Well, Rose, be good for Grandma please…"
"Ma…" Rose kissed Hermione and grabbed at her ponytail.
"Rosie, Mummy needs to go to work…" Mrs. Weasley laughed and pulled Rose slightly back so the baby was forced to let go of Hermione's hair.
"I'll see you later, baby…" Hermione kissed Rose once more and then climbed into the fireplace to floo to work before she could second guess her decision to work at the Ministry instead of working completely from home to be with Rose.
Hermione sat in her new office with a stack of files in front of her. Her first task at the Ministry would be to go through the laws pertaining to underprivileged magical creatures and what Umbridge had once called "half-breeds" and re-write some of them to help those creatures out. Of course, Hermione wanted to work on the legislation in regards to House Elves, but she had not realized just how many files on them alone, she needed to comb through.
On top of that, Hermione couldn't help but be slightly worried about Rose. Although most of the escaped Death Eater's had been caught, the fact that Umbridge and Yaxley were still out there bothered Hermione, and she didn't like being so far from Rose and feeling so uneasy.
She knew, logically, Rose was more then safe at the Burrow, and that Mrs. Weasley and Fleur were both extremely skilled witches, but the thought of not being able to keep an eye on Rose plagued Hermione's thoughts as she sat at work.
A knock on her door caused Hermione to glance up and see Ron smiling in her doorframe.
"Office looks good…" Ron stepped in, glancing around Hermione's office, rather impressed. She already had her desk neatly laid out, books on her bookshelf behind her desk, and a few pictures of Rose, and then one of himself and her on their wedding day displayed proudly. It had taken him months to get his office to look half as nice as Hermione's.
"Thanks." Hermione smiled up and pushed one of the files she was working on away as Ron moved around her desk and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"How's it going?" Ron asked.
"Just…a bit overwhelming, but fine." Hermione sighed and then looked up at Ron with a sort of pout to her lip. "I miss Rose."
Ron laughed and sat down on Hermione's desk and pulling her rolling chair between his legs so she was right in front of him. "You've only been away from her for three hours."
"Well…when I was at Hogwarts, it was only an hour at a time…and I still missed her terribly." Hermione told him.
"It will get easier." Ron smiled at her. She was such a brilliant mother, and he was so happy he got her for the rest of her life.
Hermione sighed. "I know…I wish I didn't have to."
"Well…you will…plus, you will be working from home mostly, so you will still get time with her…" Ron inched down and moved toward Hermione's face. "And when you are here…you get to be with me…"
Ron moved in and kissed Hermione fiercely, running his hand down her neck and toward the top of her blouse. Hermione didn't stop him until she felt the first button unsnap. She then quickly pulled away from her husband, her cheeks a bright red.
"Not at work, Ron…" Hermione whispered though she couldn't hide the smile on her face.
"Come on, Hermione…no one will see…" Ron grinned slightly and moved in for another kiss. With everything going on, he and Hermione had never gotten their night alone and he wanted it, now that the could think a littler clearer with most of the Death Eaters caught.
"Ron…" Hermione said softly against his lips. "Not here…"
Ron nodded and leaned against her head with his. "Fine…"
"Don't seem so upset. It's my first day of work…I'm trying to be professional. Something, I think, you should be doing as well…" Hermione swatted playfully at his arm.
Ron nodded and kissed her chastely one last time. "I know. I'm sorry I'm distracting…"
Hermione gave him a thankful smile as he walked around the desk. "You aren't distracting…I just have a lot to do."
"Alright, well…get to work then. Come get me when you finish, we can pick Rose up from my Mum together." Ron offered as he moved to the door.
"Sure." Hermione gave him a small nod and smile before watching him smile back and move out into the hall, back toward his own office. Hermione was left with a perpetual smile on her lips, and a slight relief that, given the proper distraction, she had been able to forget about worrying over Rose for a few minutes.
Ron was finishing his follow up on one last lead on Umbridge, which had ended up leading the Auror Department to a dead end, when Kingsley walked into his office which caused Ron to sit up straight in his chair. He knew Kingsley personally outside of work, but it was rare that the Minister of Magic ever stood in his office.
"Weasley…" Kingsley said with a nod as he sank into one of the chairs across from Ron's desk.
"Sir…" Ron nodded back.
Kingsley cracked a small smile. "You don't need to call me sir…"
Ron just nodded, wondering why Kingsley had stopped in at all. Usually, out of all the Auror's, Harry spoke the most to Kingsley, but Ron figured that was why Kingsley was in his office now. Harry was still on vacation with Ginny, so Ron was the next best thing.
"I just wanted to check in on your progress with Yaxley and Umbridge…" Kingsley said. "I know they are both…well they hit closer to home for you…"
Ron nodded again, remembering how Yaxley had been the one to impose the marriage law on himself and Hermione the previous year and how Umbridge had tortured them all during their fifth year at Hogwarts. "Yeah…well…its not going as well as I had hoped. Most of our leads have been false or dried up."
Kingsley just nodded. "Well…given the mass of the breakout…only having two still on the street is something I would consider a job well done."
"Yeah…" Ron sighed. "Just sort of wish it wasn't the two of them…"
"Well…I am sure the Auror Department will find them. At any rate, it is good that they have not attacked anyone yet. Seems they are as scared of you as you seem to be worried about them." Kingsley said.
Ron nodded. "Yeah…reckon your right…its just with Hermione and Rose…"
"Your family is safe, Ron. You know we wouldn't let anything happen to them…and I know you would make sure of that. You are good at your job." Kingsley said.
Ron smiled up at the Minister, hoping he was right. "Thanks…"
"Ron, I—oh, sorry…didn't realize you had company…" Hermione's voice was loud as she came into the door and stopped short upon seeing Kingsley.
"Hermione!" Kingsley smiled brightly and warmly. "How was your first day?"
"Excellent." Hermione smiled at her boss.
Kingsley stood and patted Hermione on the shoulder. "I am excited to see all of the changes from your department now that you are here."
"Thank you, sir…" Hermione nodded.
"Well…you two have a good night then. Tell Rosie I said hello…" Kingsley waved to the young couple and then moved out of Ron's office.
Hermione then turned her attention back to Ron. "Sorry! I didn't realize he was in here…"
"Its fine." Ron smiled as he stood. "He was just talking, really…not that couldn't be interrupted."
"Still…" Hermione felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment upon interrupting her husband's work. Sure, she and Ron knew Kingsley well, but he was still their boss.
"Its fine. Are you all done for the day?" Ron asked.
Hermione nodded, glancing at the folders on Ron's desk. "I was going to get Rose…you said to get you. Are you able to come or do you still have work?"
Ron also looked at the folders and then pushed them to one sighed. He would get to them tomorrow. He was sick of looking at them. "No. I'm ready to get out of here."
Hermione gave a small smile as Ron moved and gave her a quick kiss before escorting her out of his office. She snuggled close to his chest as he wrapped an arm around her and moved toward the elevator. She certainly didn't mind getting to leave work like this.
Hermione and Ron disapparated to the yard outside the Burrow and began the walk up to Ron's childhood home. Ron took Hermione's hand and smiled as the sounds and smells of the Burrow hit them both in the warm spring air. The sun was just setting over the hill, and Hermione noticed, in this light, that Ron looked less tired then he had weeks ago, when the breakout had first happened.
Ron and Hermione reached the door just in time to hear Mrs. Weasley clapping and saying, "Excellent job, Rosie!"
Ron smiled down at Hermione. "Guess Rose is impressing them with her wide vocabulary…"
"Oh, shut it. Two words is a lot for a baby her age." Hermione responded.
"She's just as smart as her mother then…" Ron grinned again and then led Hermione into the Burrow.
Mrs. Weasley, Fleur, Mr. Weasley, and Bill, who was holding Victoire all looked up with smile on their face when Hermione and Ron entered.
"Ron! Hermione! Oh you missed it!" Mrs. Weasley ran forward and kissed both Hermione and Ron.
Hermione and Ron both smiled in response. Neither had expected Mrs. Weasley to be this excited over Rose's slowly expanding vocabulary.
"Missed what?" Hermione asked, having a clue what her mother-in-law would say already but wanting to play along.
"Rose! She took her first steps! Right towards Bill!" Mrs. Weasley turned back to Bill who was nodded.
Instantly, the smile on Hermione's face fell and she let go of Ron's hand. Shock took over; she had missed her daughter's first steps. She had missed a milestone she would never get to see.
"She…she what?" Hermione managed out.
"She took a few steps earlier…I reckon to see Victoire…" Bill repeated what his mother had said.
"It waz zoo cute!" Fleur grinned from her seat on the couch.
"Bloody hell…Rosie!" Ron quickly scooped up his grinning daughter and kissed her until she began to giggle. "We are bloody proud of you!"
Hermione managed out a small smile and was able to make enough conversation with Ron's parents and Fleur and Bill that she did not seem too far removed from anything, and Ron seemed to be so excited for Rose that he had hardly put his daughter down, let alone noticed that something was bothering Hermione.
However, it was. The thought of missing such an important moment in Rose's development bothered her tremendously. And she had missed it simply because of work. She had always wanted to work; help those less fortunate, and she knew she would never be content as a simple housewife, yet she did not want to miss so many important family moments. She did not want to have to choose between work and family. She wanted both.
By the time Ron and Hermione flooed home with Rose, she was asleep on Ron's shoulder and Hermione had still hardly spoken. Instead, she quickly moved up the stairs and into their bedroom, causing Ron to raise an eyebrow, but he said nothing as he moved up the stairs to put Rose down for bed.
Ron was grateful his mother had changed Rose already, so he could just place her in her crib. He then gently kissed her and smiled down at her. He was so proud she had taken her first steps, and he couldn't wait to see them.
After a few more minutes of watching his daughter, Ron sighed, remembering the strange mood Hermione had seemed to be in after the Burrow, and decided he wanted to know what was wrong.
Ron quietly moved out of Rose's room and down the hall to his and Hermione's bedroom, where he found Hermione laying on the bed, her back to him, fully clothed.
Ron sighed; something was definitely wrong. He cautiously sat down on the bed and gently touched Hermione's shoulder. "Hermione?"
"What?" Hermione asked, trying her best to hide the fact that she was crying, but her voice had betrayed her.
Ron lay down closer to Hermione, and propped himself up on his elbow behind her. "Hermione, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." Hermione tried.
"You're crying." Ron said.
"So?" Hermione rolled over to face him.
Ron looked down at her; her brown eyes slightly puffy from crying. "So? Why?"
"Because I am a terrible mother." Hermione whispered.
"What?" Ron shook his head as Hermione sat up and he followed. Her back was still to him, so he gently slid up behind her, softly rubbing her shoulders. "Are you mental? You're the best bloody mother I have ever seen…"
"No, I'm not." Hermione shook her head.
"Why would you say that?" Ron was confused.
"Because…I am missing everything important in Rose's life. I am here mum, Ron! I should have…I should have been there for Rose's first steps…not your Mum…me!" Hermione was fully crying now.
Ron sighed; he had not even thought about that. He had been so excited for Rose to be walking. After all, he had missed her second word, and now her first steps, and he was sure he would miss more firsts. He had accepted that when he knew he would be working full time, but Hermione had not really had to worry about that until now. Of course it bothered her.
"Hermione…we don't even know if they were full steps. You know how my Mum likes to exaggerate everything." Ron tried.
This, however, only made Hermione cry a bit more. "So what, Ron? So what if she does? Rose obviously moved enough for her to mention it…I should have been there. I should have seen it!"
"Hermione…your not going to be able to be there for everything. That doesn't make you a bad mother…" Ron tried again, gently rubbing Hermione's back.
"But this is so big, Ron! Her first steps…" Hermione shook her head, as if she had been defeated by something.
"So you will see her second steps." Ron offered. He could see why she was upset, but he also had to make her realize it wasn't the worst thing in the world.
"They won't be as good." Hermione reasoned, though she sounded more like a whining child now.
"Hermione…look at me." Ron pulled Hermione to face him and lifted her chin with his hand. "Tell me why you missed Rose walking today."
"Because I was at work." Hermione's brow creased as if Ron had asked her the stupidest question in the world.
"Right. Why were you there?" Ron asked. He was getting to his point, he just needed to make sure Hermione got there with him.
"Because I was working." Hermione shook her head now, thinking Ron really was being daft.
"Yeah…because why? Because we need some extra money and because you are going to do brilliant things at the Ministry to help Rose's life in the long run. Right?" Ron asked her.
Hermione nodded slowly after a minute.
"So you missed one event only because you were trying to make every other event in Rose's life better for her, right?" Ron said gently.
Hermione nodded with a small sigh. She knew what Ron was trying to say but it didn't make her feel any better. "I know that, Ron…I just…I don't want to miss this stuff. If I was working from home today, I would have seen it."
"Well…maybe, yeah…but you will work from home tomorrow…and I am sure Rose will walk longer and better for you tomorrow. You can only be in so many places at once, Hermione." Ron reasoned.
"I should be home with Rose." Hermione shook her head. "Maybe working was a mistake."
"No. No working was what you've always wanted to do…it wasn't a mistake." Ron told her quickly. "You know that as well as I do. You wanted this for a long time Hermione."
"I wanted that when I wasn't planning on being a mother at nineteen." Hermione reminded him. "Maybe now…I should have made a different plan."
"Why? You are doing brilliant." Ron told her, and meant it. He was so proud of her.
Hermione just sighed, looking down at her wedding band, her thoughts still swirming over the fact that she had missed Rose's first steps.
"Look…do me a favor…go get in the tub, run a bath and relax." Ron told Hermione after a long moment. "And then…I will remind you of just how proud I am of you…at work…at home…and as the mother of my beautiful little girl."
Hermione looked up at Ron and could see a devilish grin forming on her lips and she couldn't help but smile. "Is that all you think about?"
"I want to make you feel better…and I think I know how to do that." Ron said simply.
Hermione laughed and shook her head as she stood, realizing that a small part of her knew what Ron had said was right. She was still sad that she had missed Rose's first steps, but she hadn't missed them because she wanted to. "Fine…"
"Hey, Hermione?" Ron called as Hermione moved toward the bathroom door.
"Yeah?" Hermione asked, unbuttoning her blouse so that Ron could watch.
"I mean it…I am really proud of you." Ron said, in an uncanny moment of serious kindness.
Hermione stopped unbuttoning her shirt and stared at Ron, her eyes brimming with tears again but this time not over Rose's walk. Ron really had a way of making her feel special when she wanted to, and she knew she was lucky to have him.
After a long moment, Hermione spoke again. "Come on…I want to take a bath with you."
"You do?" Ron was surprised. He had really meant to let Hermione relax in her own bath before doing anything. In fact, he had really planned on maybe rubbing her back to make her feel better before she fell asleep. This behavior was definitely not what he expected, but he certainly wouldn't object.
"Yes…I believe I owe you some weekly alone time anyway." Hermione said, slipping out of her pants.
"I believe you do as well." Ron smile, a soft and loving smile as he stood.
Hermione's smile grew wider as she turned and moved into the bathroom.
A second later, Ron heard the water running, and had a good feeling he was about to have a great night with Hermione, despite how the rest of the events of their day had unfolded.