A/N: Some Ron, Rose and Hugo family fluff for Fire The Canon for her 21st birthday, and also because she's a better co-host than I am. Ash, happy (belated) birthday!

"So, you're the princess that's locked in the tower and guarded by a dragon, and I'm the prince that's come to rescue you," five-year-old Hugo instructed his sister.

"Why do I always have to be the princess that needs to be rescued?" Rose whined. "I hate that."

"Because you're a girl and only girls can be the princess."

"Well, then maybe the princess can save the prince this time."

Hugo looked shocked. "That's not how the story goes," he protested. "The princess iscaptured and the prince or the hero rescues her."

"I don't care," Rose said stubbornly. "Mum said that girls can be heroes too."

"No they can't."

"Yes they can!"

She raised her voice, causing their Dad's head to appear in the doorway.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Hugo says girls can't be heroes so now I have to be the princess that needs to rescued again!" Rose exclaimed. "And that's not true, Dad, is it? Mum said girls can be heroes too."

"Why, of course girls can be heroes too!" her Dad said.

Rose shot Hugo a triumphant look. Hugo still didn't look convinced.

"Look, come here you two. You know about the Memorial we go to every year, right?"

Rose and Hugo nodded. "From the battle where Uncle Harry defeated the evil Voldemort."

"That's right Rosie. But you see, before that, there was a war. A very, nasty war where people got hurt or killed. The war lasted for three years. You know that your Mum and Auntie Ginny and Auntie Luna and Teddy's mum fought in the war as well, don't you?"

Again, they both nodded.

"So they were heroes, just like Uncle Harry and me."

"Told you so!" Rose exclaimed.

"I had forgot about that," Hugo mumbled.

"And let me tell you a secret," their Dad added. He glanced around to see if their Mum was near. "I don't think Mum and Gran would like me telling you this," he continued in a whispering tone, "but Voldemort had a second-in-command, who was a very evil woman. When she was killed, it weakened Voldemort, so Uncle Harry could eventually kill him. Do you know who killed Bellatrix?"

"Was it you?" Hugo asked excited.

"Was it Mum?" Rose asked just as excited.

"No, it wasn't me, nor your Mum." He bent down conspiratorally. "It was you Gran."

"No!" they both exclaimed, shocked. "Gran did that?"

Their Dad nodded solemny. "Don't tell her or Mum though that I told you, they'll kill me," he hasted to add. "But my point is, girls can be heroes though."

Hugo thought for a moment. "Rose, you can rescue me from the dragon," he said. "You can be the hero today."

-o0o-

Rose' face split into a grin. "Cool! Dad, you have to be the dragon!"

"Are you sure, dear? I'm a really mean dragon, you know. I need him to guard my treasures. And if I'm hungry I'll just eat him."

"Help!" Hugo said and tried to run away, but the dragon lifted him off the ground. "I'll tickle him until he laughs and laughs," the dragon said in a deep voice and started walking away with Hugo in his paws.

"Help! Help!"

"Don't worry, Prince Hugo! Hero Rose is here to save you!" Rose said and held the plastic sword tightly in both hands. "I've come to rescue you from the dragon."

"You can't beat me," the dragon said.

"Of course I can, I'm Rose the Hero."

The dragon laughed and raised his claw. "Well, Hero Rose, let me see then what you can do."

Rose circled him, pricking him with her sword. "I'll get you!"

"Ah, I'm wounded!" the dragon said after about five minutes. "What have you done, Hero Rose? I'll release Prince Hugo, if you just let me be."

"Will you listen to me from now on?"

"Yes of course!" He released his grip on his prey, and Prince Hugo escaped.

"Come, let's make him surrender himself," Rose told Hugo. "Let's tickle him."

They both grinned as they dove on top of the dragon, tickling every part of him they could reach. Soon, the three of them were one tickling and laughing heap.

-o0o-

Afterwards, when they didn't have any energy left to tickle, all three of them were lying on the grass, panting.

"You know Dad, you're a really cool dragon," Rose said.

"And you're a very good hero, Rosie," her Dad replied. "Gran would be proud of you."

"It was fun," Hugo chipped in. "You can be the hero more often, Rose. But then Dad has to be the dragon, just like today."

"I'll think about it," their Dad said. "But you're getting kind of heavy, Hugo."

"I am not," Hugo protested.

His Dad laughed. "Just kidding, Hugo. I had fun being a dragon too."

"Dad?"

"Yes, Rosie?"

"I wanna be a Dragon Tamer when I grow up, just like Uncle Charlie," Rose said dreamily.

"Oh? Last week you wanted to be an Auror, like me and Uncle Harry."

"Yeah. But I'd rather be a Dragon Tamer now. Do you think Uncle Charlie can show me the dragons he works with?"

"Absolutely not!" her Dad said shocked. "You're far too young for real dragons."

"But I'm Hero Rose," Rose's lip trembled.

Her Dad sighed. "You can't tame a real dragon by tickling him, Rosie," he explained. "They are far more dangerous. They spit fire and they are at least ten times my size. You'd better stick with the Dad-dragon for a while. A very, very long while," he added.

"But when I'm Uncle Charlie's age, I can be a Dragon Tamer, right?"

Her Dad hesitated. "Maybe. We'll see."

It seemed good enough of an answer to Rose, for she lay back down again.

"Hugo?" she said.

"I don't have to be the hero all the time. You can be the hero sometimes too."