Mother's Day

"This is all your fault!"

"Just because you didn't remember to get the flowers –"

"Well, just because you didn't make the card –"

"Good morning."

Rose and Hugo both jumped, and then immediately pressed their shoulders together, hiding the mess behind them.

"Good morning, Dad!" said Rose in an overly cheerful voice. Hugo elbowed her in the ribs, and she coughed and said, in a more serious voice, "I mean, morning, Dad."

Ron, still rubbing sleep out of his eyes, regarded them suspiciously. "I don't suppose you'll tell me the reason for your being up so early."

Rose grinned up at her father. "No reason, Dad. Just wanted to be up to greet our favourite father!"

"Favourite father, huh?" said Ron sleepily. "That's nice. That's..." The smile slid off his face. "Hang on..."

"Well, why don't you get a few more hours of sleep, Dad?" said Hugo, pushing his father out of the kitchen.

"But –"

"Okay, thanks!" Rose said as she closed the kitchen door in Ron's face. She let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the door. "Now what?" she hissed to Hugo.

His shoulders slumped as he gazed around the kitchen, which was in complete disarray. The sink was piled high with dishes and pans, there was flour all over the countertops (Hugo himself was covered in a light dusting of white powder), and a lone stack of pancakes sat limply on a plate that was sticky with syrup and sugar. There was also a cup of watery tea and a pitcher of curdled milk on a tray.

"Maybe Dad will clean it up later?" Hugo suggested weakly, and Rose let out a groan of frustration.

"I ask you to do one thing –"

"It was more than one thing!" said Hugo indignantly. "I had to cook the pancakes and make the tea!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Rose sarcastically, folding her arms. "Two things."

Hugo swelled with anger. "Well, all you were supposed to do was make a card for her! How hard could it be? 'Dear Mum, happy Mother's Day, lots of love from Rosie and Hugo!'"

"Well, you were supposed to get her flowers!" Rose shot back. "How hard could that be? They grow in the garden!"

"But you –"

"Don't you start with –"

"Don't you talk like –"

"You shut your –"

"Good morning."

They both gasped and dived for the door, which had begun to open.

"Mum!" Rose cried, shoving the door back. "Why are you awake?"

They heard a soft laugh from the other side of the door. "I'm always awake early," Hermione reminded them. "And I always come into the kitchen to make breakfast, so I'd appreciate it if you'd let me in."

"That's okay!" said Hugo hastily. "Don't worry about it, we'll make – ouch!" Rose had elbowed him hard in the ribs. "I mean, what are you talking about? It's only – er – five in the morning?"

Rose groaned, and Hermione said, a hint of humor in her voice, "Hmm...try again, Hugo."

Hugo gulped. "Er..." He opened the door a crack. "Happy Mother's Day?"

Hermione pushed the door open the rest of the way and her eyebrows shot up.

"Now you've done it," Rose hissed in Hugo's ear. "She's going to murder us!"

"I haven't done anything! You –"

Hermione let out a soft laugh. "You made me breakfast."

"Tried to," Rose corrected. "Hugo messed everything up."

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did – oof!"

Hermione had pulled them both into a tight hug. "Thank you," she murmured, kissing the tops of their heads.

"Mu-um," Rose complained, her voice muffled, "I can't breathe!"

"Sorry," said Hermione, laughing and letting them both go. Hugo immediately fixed his hair, which his mother had ruffled.

"So," said Hugo hopefully, smiling up at his mother, "does this mean we don't have to clean it up?"

Hermione let out a short laugh. "Oh, no. No, I expect it to be sparkling by the time I'm done." And with that, she picked up her tray and took it into the dining room, smiling slightly.

Rose and Hugo glanced at each other.

"Not it!"

"Not it!"

"I said it first!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did –"

Hermione laughed.