Chapter 18

Ron walked into the room where his wife was already there taking off her jewelry. His eyes met hers as he closed the door.

"Well, that was quite a night," he said, taking off his coat and loosening his tie.

"Mmm," she murmured in a daze. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. She immediately molded into him, her back pressed to his chest. Hermione rested her head back against his shoulder and covered his arms with her own where they sat snug around her midsection.

"Where did Rose get off to? I didn't see her come up to her room with Lily and the others," Ron said as he turned his head and placed a lasting kiss on her neck.

"She's at home," Hermione sighed, closing her eyes at the touch of his lips.

"What! Why?" Ron's head quickly snapped up, his eyes finding Hermione's in the mirror.

"Because she needed to get away."

"Get away? It's her cousin's wedding, why would she need to get away?" Hermione turned around in her husband's arms and slid hers up, entwining her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Because Ronald," Hermione said sounding a little frustrated at her husband's cluelessness, "sometimes there is only so much a woman can take."

"Wait a minute, I'm confused," Ron said, sensing from her tone that he could be in trouble. "Is this about us or Rose?" Hermione let out a frustrated sigh and shook her head slightly.

"It's about Rose," Hermione clarified. Ron relaxed but still had no idea what was happening; Hermione gave in and told him straight up. "Look, Rose has feelings for Scorpius."

"Oh, um…ahh…," he stuttered. Hermione let the information sink in. "She told you this?"

"Not exactly but it's pretty obvious," Hermione answered. Ron looked like he was searching his memory for a moment when it was obvious. Hermione just sighed again, but smiled at her husband. "Well it's obvious to everyone else," she added with a giggle.

Ron's brow creased as he thought deeply about something. "Hermione," Ron said, drawing her attention. He looked her straight in the eye. "You know how I always said I would hate any man who wanted to be with my daughter."

"Mm hmm," she nodded.

"Well, Scorpius is the exception," he said it so honestly that it took his wife by surprise. She didn't expect that from him and blinked in astonishment.

"I see and when did you decide this?" she finally asked gaining her composure.

"I don't exactly know but I just think that they would fit together."

"So did I," she sighed, dropping his gaze.

"What do you mean did?"

"Ron, didn't you see what Scorpius did tonight?" she exclaimed, dropping her arms and leaving his.

"Oh," he said realization finally hitting him as he remembered Scorpius' snogging session.

"And Rose is determined, now more than ever, to never feel anything again," Hermione said as she started pacing the room.

"But he made a mistake," Ron defended, "surely she won't give up on him."

"Ron, why are you defending him?" she spoke in a raised voice, rounding on him. "This is your own daughter that he hurt."

"I'm not defending him."

"Yes, you are! You're siding with him over your own daughter!" she was fuming.

"I'm not! I just know that he will try and make it up to her," he said calmly and earnestly.

"Sometimes that's not enough," she said pacing again, trying to calm herself down. There was a pause as Ron had fallen silent. When Hermione looked back at him, he was sitting down on the bed, his head in his hands. She was immediately by his side, comforting him by rubbing his shoulders, the way she usually did to relieve his stress.

"Do you honestly believe that, Hermione?"

"Yes Ron," Hermione spoke a little unsure of why he was asking her this, "for some women saying sorry isn't enough."

"Is it enough for you?" Hermione's gaze found his. She finally understood what he was getting at. She couldn't believe it, after 24 years of marriage, he was asking her if she had forgiven him for his mistakes when they were younger.

"Oh Ron, of course it is," she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips before continuing, "as long as it comes from you." He leaned in and thanked her with a kiss.

"So maybe there is hope after all," he said pulling back.

"Ron, why do you care so much for Scorpius?" He pulled back further, looking away from her, sorting his thoughts. "I mean, I wasn't the only one surprised to see you warm up to him so quickly."

"I guess we just seemed to click," Ron said uncertainly, not sure if he was explaining it right. He stood up, pulling the tie from around his neck, and chucking it on the end on the bed, where it slid off and landed on the floor.

"I know," Hermione sighed, remembering all the times Rose complained about not being able to enter Albus' room because of Scorpius leaving his stuff all over the floor. "In some ways you are very similar."

"It's strange I know," Ron protested, now taking off his shoes. "But I know how he feels," he added looking down at her. Hermione looked up into his eyes, seeing his love shining through. He did know what it felt like to have feelings for someone and not know how to express it. She did too.

"Okay, but this isn't about us. If Rose chooses not to forgive him or give in to her own feelings then there is nothing we can do about it."

"I know that and I am going to support my daughter in this but we are the only family Scorpius has now," Ron said in a non-negotiable manner, "and I still want him to feel welcome."

"Yeah, plus it'll be handy to have someone around who actually knows how to fix stuff," Hermione commented, mocking her husband with a smile for his attempts to fix the Muggle appliances around their home.

"Ha ha, very funny," Ron said, "but you're probably right."

"Honey, haven't you learnt by now," Hermione teased, standing up and wrapping her arms around his waist, "I'm always right."

"That you are, Darling, that you are," he mumbled as he leaned down and stole a kiss. Hermione was just about to deepen the kiss, when Ron pulled back. "However, he does have to apologize to Al and Rose, whether they accept it or not, before I will forgive him." Hermione just laughed at her husband's attempt at a stern expression. He was never that good at it; she always had to discipline the children and even him on occasion. When she looked back at him, he was smiling at her. It was the same smile that she had seen many times since they were kids, yet somehow it always made her heart skip a beat. She suddenly felt like she was sixteen again with a blush rising in her cheeks.

"Come on Mr Weasley, take me to bed." She saw his eyes light up at the suggestion.

"It'd be my pleasure Mrs Weasley," Ron said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her soundly while her arms slid up around his neck. She clung to him as he lifted her up, taking her towards the bed and never breaking the loving caress of their lips.

So that was chapter 18, now we can get back to a guilty, regretful Scorpius and the appologies he has to make. I would like to thank my beta reader, peacock33, for helping me out and dealing with my countless spelling and grammar mistakes. Thank you :)

I hope you enjoyed chapter 18, look out for the next update :)

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