The rain pattered noisily against the glass windows of the small cottage.
The twenty-five year old woman called her husband into the room, and beckoned him toward the rocking chair she now occupied near the fire.
“What is it?” he asked, half excited, half concerned.
“It’s kicking,” she whispered excitedly, taking his hand and pressing it onto her abdomen.
She watched anxiously as her husband’s face slowly spread into a grin.
“Oh, Ron,” she whispered. Tears filled her eyes.
“I’m going to be a father,” he said, taking her hand.
“And I’m going to be a mother. I really must read more of those parenting books, I’m not sure if””
“Hermione, you’re going to be the best mother any child ever had. And this child, he’ll be the most””
“What makes you think it’s going to be a boy?” Hermione asked defensively.
“Well” I just thought that if” Maybe”” Ron’s ears glowed red in embarrassment.
“I think it’s going to be a girl.” she said, slightly pompously.
“But we don’t have any names picked out for a girl… And, besides, there’s barely any girl Weasleys, so that’s a fat chance””
“Ronald!” she said, scolding him, “Haven’t we always been ones for beating the odds?” she said, reminiscing.
He smiled. “What names do you like, if somehow we do end up with a girl?”
Hermione glanced around the room sheepishly. “Well, I hadn’t really thought about it much…” She squinted out the window, through the rain, thinking, and her eyes focused on their small garden. On one plant in particular.
“Rose,” she whispered softly.
“We can’t have a daughter named Rose!” Ron wrinkled his nose in obvious disgust.
“What’s wrong with the name Rose?” Hermione demanded, crossing her arms with slight difficulty.
“Well first off, no daughter of mine is going to be a softy with a name like Rose… And we definitely aren’t naming her after a plant you saw in the garden!” he fumed.
“Oh, so now you’re sure we’re having a girl?” she teased.
“Don’t change the subject,” he muttered.
“Well, what’re going to name our baby if it’s a boy?”
“I was thinking Hugo, after my great-great””
“Hugo? I can’t have a baby with a- a- circus performer name!” Hermione spluttered angrily.
Ron’s tone changed and soothed her almost immediately. “Relax, Hermione, we still have three or four months to think about this.” He secretly pondered what a circus performer was, but didn’t ask Hermione out loud.
It was silent for a moment. “What House do you think they’ll be in?” asked Hermione.
“They better be in Gryffindor. . .” said Ron tonelessly.
Hermione laughed, “Ron, it’s okay to have a child in a different House than we were in.”
“So you’re saying you’d still love this child even if they were in Slytherin?”
Hermione smacked Ron with the back of her copy of Mothering in the Magical Community.
After a moment’s pause, there was a small knock on the door.
“Come in!” Hermione called.
A witch who looked much beyond her years entered the room. There was something familiar about the body that now dripped water onto the carpet.
Hermione looked into the now dull blue eyes. She silently studied her now chin-length haircut. She was just as tall as she was in her school days.
“Hello, my name is Avril Malfoy, and today I’ve been sent here from the Ministry of Magic to promote the””
For a second, the long-forgotten face was quiet, as she realized who’s doorway she currently occupied.
“Hi, Avril. Would you like to stay for tea?” said Hermione, with hard eyes, purposely trying to puff out her stomach.
Avril slowly back out the door, disbelievingly gazing at the couple with a hasty “Sorry to bother you”. Ron and Hermione blinked in shock, and once she was gone, they burst into laughter.
I Think This Love is Altering my Brain by MadEyeMaddy
Chapter Notes: Here it is. I really am attached to this story. I'll miss it more than you can imagine. Thanks for everyone who stood by me.
Chapter Endnotes: Reviews will be welcome til the end of time. And PMs on the beta forums. Those are equally good.
--Maddy(: