Ah, finally! A chance to sit down and rest. He plopped down on the couch, stretched out his legs, and closed his eyes. He debated on even taking a short nap. He really needed one.

“Ron,� said a sharp voice. “You need to take care of Hugo while I go to St. Mungo’s. Rosie has a checkup today. I’ll only be gone about an hour and a half.�

Ron opened one eye a crack. He could just barely see Hermione standing in front of him, hands on her hips. She didn’t look as if she would take no for an answer.

He groaned and opened both eyes all the way. Apparently, a nap was now out of the question.

“Alright,� he sighed, lifting his head up. “But I am NOT changing any diapers.�

“You won’t have to. I just changed him a few minutes ago.� She grabbed Ron’s arm and yanked him to his feet. “I’m leaving in a few minutes, so figure out how you’re going to entertain him so I can approve. I’ll not have my two year old son playing ‘Hunt the Horcrux’ again.�

“It taught him how to find things!� protested Ron. He tried to sit back down, but Hermione simply whipped out her wand and prevented him from doing so. “Oh, come on! Can’t you take him with you? You know I’m terrible at babysitting.�

“He’s too little to use the Floo, so no. You’ll have to deal with it.� She pushed Ron towards the door of the nursery. “Now go and find something you can do together.�

Having used up his last method to get out of the job, Ron trudged over to Hugo, who was playing on the floor, and scooped up the little boy.

“Now, what would keep Hugo busy?� Ron muttered, throwing a venomous look in Hermione’s direction. She just smiled and began tying Rosie’s shoes.

Ron reviewed his limited options. He could take Hugo flying, which Hermione would never approve of, or play with blocks, which was one of the most boring things he could think of to do.

“Why don’t you read him a book?� suggested Hermione, throwing on her coat now.

“A book?�

“Yes, a book. You know, it’s made of paper and has lots of words in it.�

Ron resisted the urge to roll his eyes and added that idea to his miniscule list of options. All things considered, it was probably the best one. But it wouldn’t advance Hugo’s knowledge in any way. Ron was always very concerned with his son’s education. Well, actually, now that he thought about it, it might teach Hugo to read. Hadn’t Rosie learned to read much sooner than the average child? If she could, then so could Hugo.

“Right, a book,� Ron said out loud. “What do you want to read, Hugo?�

The toddler stared at him blankly, and then promptly wiggled closer to his father’s chest, hiding his face. Small giggles escaped the baby.

“Okay...� Ron reluctantly ventured into the small library to begin his search for an appropriate book. Small was a bit of an understatement in his opinion, since it seemed like the Hogwart’s library had been transferred into the house, but Hermione insisted that the library was small and she bemoaned the fact, wishing for more volumes and even more shelves. Shaking his head and bouncing Hugo in his arms, Ron crossed over to the children’s section, grateful for once that his wife was insane enough to catalogue their “small� library.

Some titles were rather strange to Ron, since Hermione had also been adamant that her library contain some Muggle books. He bypassed Cinderella, Snow White, and The Little Mermaid to titles he finally recognized: The Fountain of Fair Fortune, The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, and Babbity Rabbity and the Cackling Stump.

Smiling ruefully at the memory of Hermione and Harry once giving him baffled looks at the last title, he selected it from the bookshelf.

“Hugo, we’re going to read about a foolish Muggle, an arrogant King, and a mischievous witch,� Ron declared, and Hugo laughed again at the silly tone Ron had used. “But first, we should treat ourselves to a drink.�

Ron summoned some Butterbeer with his wand as he and Hugo sat on the couch. He popped off the lid, took a short swig, and then handed the bottle to his son. “What’s this, Hugo?�

Hugo’s small hands tried to reach around the bottle, and in a happy voice, he repeated, “Mil,� over and over again.

At that moment, Hermione chose to come in to say goodbye to Hugo. Her eyes instantly narrowed, and she muttered, “Evanesco,� vanishing the liquid in the bottle.

“Hey!� Ron yelped. “I was going to drink that!�

“And I don’t think it’s a good idea for Hugo to think that it’s milk!�

“I wasn’t really going to give it to him,� Ron said defensively, but he let the matter drop, knowing he had lost the battle.

“Ron, do I need to get you a baby-sitter?�

“No,� Ron grimaced, and he shifted uncomfortably under Hermione’s gaze.

“No more antics, Ron. I mean it!� With those words, she turned to Hugo, and her face suddenly lit up into a pleasant expression.

“Mummy’s going out now, but she’ll be back. You have fun with your daddy, okay?� She gave Hugo a quick hug and a kiss, which Hugo returned.

“Bye bye, Mummy!� he squealed, waving his hands. Hermione tapped his nose in affection, then turned back to her husband.

“No funny business, okay?� She gave him a peck on the cheek, then hurried out of the sitting room, leaving father and son alone.

“Well, we are now two men with the house to ourselves,� Ron began in a rather theatrical voice. “Ready to learn how to impress the ladies? I’ll tell you a secret- they like it if you know how to read.� He remembered Hermione’s huffy voice back in their first year of Hogwarts when they hadn’t known what the Philosopher’s Stone had been: Honestly, don’t you two read?

He realized then that Hugo was climbing onto the couch’s armrest and about ready to fall off. Ron grabbed Hugo and sat him upright on the cushion beside him. Struggling to hold the squirming toddler and hold the book at the same time, he decided that Hugo should be lying down instead. He plopped a pillow on the couch, and gently put the little boy on it. Hugo waved his arms in the air, trying to grab the book.

Ron held it far away and opened it up to the first page. He squinted his eyes, trying to read the writing. It was near impossible, since the book was four feet away. Hermione always said he should get glasses, but he didn’t want to look like an old man.

Giving up on trying to read from such a distance, he held the book to the left so that Hugo could not reach it. “Okay Hugo. You ready?�

The toddler cooed and clapped his hands.

Ron began to read. “Babbity Rabbity and the Cackling Stump.�

As soon as Hugo heard Ron read the title, he crawled onto his dad’s lap and grabbed Ron’s nose. Spluttering, Ron grabbed the little boy’s chubby hands and held them fast in his own rather large hand. Of course, now it was hard to hold the book. He sighed. Reading a book had seemed like such an easy thing when Hermione had suggested it. What was he doing wrong?

He placed Hugo’s hands on the book in a desperate attempt to keep the child happy. Then, he began to read again.

“Once upon a time, there lived a king who wanted to be the most powerful ruler in the world.� Ron paused and checked to see how Hugo was doing.

The toddler glanced up and smiled. “Powful ruer!� He giggled and clapped. “Ruer!�

Ron continued, glad that Hugo seemed to be learning something. “He decided to gather all the witches and wizards in the world together so that he could control all the magic. But first, he needed to learn to use magic himself.�

“Maga!� squealed Hugo.

“No, not maga, magic,� corrected Ron. “Magic.�

“Maga!�

Ron sighed and decided to resume reading. “The king needed someone to teach him how to use magic, but no magical people came. Finally, a Muggle pretending to be a wizard said he would help the king.�
He paused to give Hugo a chance to repeat what he had said.

“Mugmug! Wizd!� Hugo gurgled and twisted himself around, putting his pudgy arms around Ron.
Ron smiled and hugged his son back. Babies really were adorable when they weren’t squirming and crying. He patted Hugo on the head. “Good boy.� He turned his attention back to the book.

“The Muggle asked the king for lots of treasures and money. The king gave the man all he wanted as long as the Muggle continued teaching the king magic.�

“Tesur!�

“One day, the Muggle was cutting some branches from a tree to use as wands. A washer woman saw him, and later, when the king and Muggle were practicing, began to laugh. The king got very angry and demanded that the Muggle help him do a performance in front of his subjects.� At this point, Ron noticed that Hugo was awfully quiet. He glanced down to see the toddler upside down and sucking on his toe.

“Hugo! No, take your foot out of your mouth!� Ron dropped the book and exasperatedly pulled Hugo’s toe out. Hugo simply switched to his thumb, and then he wiggled off the couch.

“Where are you going?� Ron asked, grabbing his son. Hugo began to scream that he didn’t want to be held, and in a huffy manner, he pulled himself out of his father’s arms. Surprised, Ron watched Hugo run out of the library.

“Get back here, Hugo!� Ron groaned heavily and then proceeded to follow Hugo. He could hear the wretched child giggling. Kids!

Rounding the corner, Ron found Hugo banging on the back door, as though he wanted to go outside. Feeling a bit rejected, Ron opened the door and saw Hugo speed off to the broom shed. He smiled. At least Hugo liked something.

“Boom! Boom!� Hugo cried, reaching his little hands as far up as they could go towards the handle of the shed.

“Okay, settle down.� Ron slid the door open and grabbed his broom. “You want to ride?�

Hugo smiled, clapped his hands, and grabbed for the broom. Ron swung his leg over the broom, and then scooped up Hugo.

“Hold on!�

The broom soared up into the sky, and Hugo elatedly screamed. Ron squeezed him tight, making sure not to do anything overly dangerous or dramatic, but for once, he felt like a father that could handle his son.

----------

Hermione unlocked the door with a quick flick of her wand and then ushered Rose inside. Rose was happily admiring the sticker she had received for being a good girl, especially since the sticker’s subject was animatedly moving for her enjoyment. Hermione walked into the sitting room without really paying attention, and she almost immediately tripped.

Looking down, she saw a broom. Eyebrows raised in surprise, her gaze landed on the couch, and the two occupants sleeping on it. Hugo was curled up on his father’s chest, snoozing peacefully, and Ron had his arms wrapped around the little boy. A small smile found its way onto Hermione’s lips, and she found that she couldn’t even be mad about the broom.

Rose meandered in, and Hermione motioned for her to be quiet and go get something to eat for lunch. She then proceeded to pick up a folded quilt from inside the closet and spread it out over her husband and child.

Leaving the room, Hermione looked back one last time, and mentally snapped a picture in her head of the tender moment. It seemed then that life was just perfect.