Chapter 1: Family Time

"Daddy!"

"Hello, sweetheart!" Ron scooped up Rosie as she toddled towards him on short, chubby legs. He kissed her forehead. "Where's your mama?"

"Kitzen!" almost-two-year-old Rosie exclaimed excitedly. "She cook."

Ron moved her to his hip so he could hold her more easily and walked to the kitchen. Hermione hadn't heard him come in, and she was busy adding ingredients to a pot of soup with her wand.

"Hello honey." Ron kissed her cheek. She jumped, clutching her heart.

"Don't do that." She gasped, but gave him a hug and kiss. "How was your day?"

"Er, okay. I have some news for you." He bounced Rosie, looking at the floor. She narrowed her eyes.

"Ok…well at least I'm allowed to go back to work soon as well!" By 'allowed' she meant Ron's rule. He wanted her to take two years off to devote her time to raising Rosie, but after the two years were up, she would be allowed to return to work. And with Rose's second birthday coming up next week, she was prepping herself for a joyful arrival at the Ministry.

"Right, right." Ron muttered absentmindedly. He placed Rosie back on the floor. She toddled towards the living room and her set of magical crayons. Ron could hear her babbling to herself.

Every day…she's just so cute!

"So what's the news?" Hermione asked casually as she laid out dishes for supper.

"Er…" Ron started awkwardly, circling the table. "I don't think you're, er, going to be very happy about it."

She groaned. "Did you get suspended again?"

"What? No! Of course not!" He said defensively. "But…"

"Spit it out, Ron!"

"I might miss Rose's birthday party next week." He made a face.

"What? Why?" She demanded, pausing in her efforts to set the table.

"Er—mission for the department."

"Tell them that next week is no good. Tell them you can't go!" She waved her wand at the dishes, but instead of landing lightly on their places they crashed into the wall. She ignored this mishap and glared at Ron.

"I can't do that! I've missed enough missions because of you!" He stopped, seeing her flaming red cheeks. "Sorry, that came out wrong."

"Because of me? Fine, Ron, fine. Enjoy your stupid mission! Stop those evil bad guys. Kiss random women at the bar. Fine! Go ahead. Miss your daughter's birthday. See if we care."

"I cannot believe you are still on that! Haven't we moved on? I said I'm sorry for what I just said! I shouldn't have said it but now that you decided to harp on about that maybe I will!"

Hermione was stunned speechless by his last words. Ron hastily backtracked. "Wait, no, that's not what I meant. I meant I'll go, not, you know…that. Hermione…"

Her face was red and her mouth set in a firm line. "I do not care what you meant, Ron, but I do care that you're so willing to miss Rose's birthday! You're her father, you know how much she looks up to you!"

"What are you talking about? She'd do fine without me! It's you she adores!"

"Maybe because I'M the one spending every day and night with her!" Hermione yelled. "Maybe if you made an effort to show her you care! Maybe if you actually offered to help once in a while! When was the last time you cleaned up? Or made the bed? Or made dinner? Is this why you married me, Ron, so you'd have a personal maid to do all the housework?"

"Hermione, come on! I help!" They were on opposite sides of the table now, both their faces a shade of crimson. Rosie sat just a few yards away, completely oblivious to her parents' argument. "And you know that I sure as hell did not marry you for that. How can you even say that?"

"Because all the evidence points toward my argument! First I spend every day at home, rushing around trying to clean up all the mess that you leave everywhere, and then when you finally come home I have to listen to you jump up and down for joy that you no longer have to attend your daughter's birthday party!"

"Hermione, that is a bit of an exaggeration." Ron yelled. "I am not happy to be missing it, but I can't keep missing work because of your motherly needs!"

It took all her willpower to stop herself pulling out her wand and jinxing the hell out of him. "And who is made to just drop everything in a night and quit work just to clean up after everyone else? That was me, Ron!"

He threw up his hands. "You could've just—" His yell was interrupted by a tiny voice behind him. He and Hermione looked down. Rose was tugging Hermione's sleeve.

"Mama? Why Daddy yell?"

Ron instantly felt guilty. He accepted the dirty look Hermione threw him as she hoisted Rosie onto her hip. "Nothing, baby, it's okay. Mommy and Daddy were just having an argument."

Rose looked at Ron sadly. "I no like it. Be nite." She still had trouble pronouncing the s sound. It came out like a t.

Hermione stroked Rosie's hair. "We'll try, sweetie. Come on, it's supper time." She tucked Rosie in her baby chair, placing her bowl in front of her. Ron sat down next to Rose. Hermione glowered, slamming Ron's bowl down and splashing soup all over his shirt. He resisted the urge to curse and instead dried himself off with his wand. Hermione sat directly across from him. They ate dinner in silence, Hermione never meeting his gaze.

"Thank you for dinner, 'Mione." Ron said when he was done. "It was delicious."

She snorted and carrying on ignoring him. She knew his tricks.

"I done." Rosie clapped her hands. "Out! Out!" She reached for Hermione. Her mother picked her up out of her chair.

"Bedtime, Rosie."

"No! No! No! No! No!" Rose screamed. "No want bedtime!"

Hermione glared at Ron. "You see what I do every single day while you eat and laze about? Do you know how damaged my eardrums are?" She stormed upstairs with Rose.

Ron sighed, playing back the argument of ten minutes past. I said some really stupid things…

He heard Hermione clomping down the stairs and hour later while lying on the couch, his Flying with the Cannons book held directly above his face. Hermione slammed it down on his nose.

"Blimey, Hermione." He whined. "Stop hitting me with things!"

"Then stop being a brainless git!" She retorted.

Ron had never told her this, nor would he ever unless in the case he wanted his face reconfigured, but Hermione had always looked especially beautiful when she was angry. It was a reason he often provoked her. Of course in this case, it was entirely unintentional. But it didn't change the fact that he loved the way her cheeks glowed scarlet and her hair would fall into her face and…he snapped out of it. Hermione had gone out to the back porch and was curled up on a lawn chair. Her face was hidden by her hair, so he couldn't tell if she was crying.

He quietly slid the door open and went to sit next to her. He could tell she knew he was there, and was grateful she didn't yell at him again. He could see her shoulders trembling, but whether it was from tears or the chilly September breeze, he was unsure.

"Hermione," he started, waiting for her to storm out. She didn't move. He took this as a good sign. "Hermione, I'm…very sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I am fully aware of how much work you do and you know how guilty I feel about keeping you away from your work. And I think a reason I got very, er, snappy with you is that I'm angry that a mission is scheduled the same week as Rose's birthday."

"Really?" The response was barely more than a whisper.

"Yes. And I'm offended how you think it's so easy for me to just pick up and leave you two."

"I'm sorry." The voice was a little bit louder this time. "I'm so sorry." Ron heard a sniffle.

"'Mione, are you crying?"

"No!" Hermione said hurriedly, but he saw her hastily wipe her eyes.

"You don't have to lie, Hermione, it's okay." H stood up and offered his hand to pull her up. She placed her small hand in his and he pulled her into his arms. "Just one more week." He whispered. "Then you can go back to your desk, and all your boring paperwork, and the excitement of sitting in an office all day…why exactly do you want to go back again?" He joked.

She giggled. "I'm excited to have more cases to work on, and be in the midst of everything that's happening, and to not be stuck all day while you're off having adventures."

"Oh yes, because everything I do is an adventure." He teased, rocking her slowly. She looked up and kissed him slowly. He kissed back, pulling her even closer and placing his hand at the back of her head. When she pulled away, she rested her head on his chest.

"Tomorrow, I'll take the day off." He promised. "And I will take care of Rosie while you do whatever you want."

"Nice try." Said Hermione. "But Rosie's at Ginny and Harry's tomorrow. She's having a playdate with Al."

"Albus Severus." Ron muttered. "Poor kid."

"Ron, it's a beautiful sentimental name choice!"

"I know, I know…but it tops the list of funniest names. Scorpius Malfoy being number one. That name is never not going to be funny."

Hermione scowled at his insensitivity. Ron noticed her loud silence and shut up, rocking her again and stroking her hair. "Well, if you're going to be free tomorrow, I can still take the day off."

"For your information, I'm not free tomorrow, I have to clean up the mess you made around the house yesterday. And you shouldn't be missing work because of me." She ended her words with a grimace.

"But I—"

"But nothing, Ron. No skiving off."

"You confuse me, Hermione! First you want me to skip a highly important mission, but it's a terrible idea to take a day off just to appease you?"

"Because they are entirely different! I don't think you should miss your daughter's birthday."

"Speaking of birthdays…" Ron said. Hermione blushed. "Yours is coming up just a week after Rose's. Anything in particular you'd like?"

"No, not really, I don't think. You don't have to get me anything, Ron."

He snorted. "Doesn't mean I won't. Fine. I'll surprise you."

She smiled. "Come on, we should go to bed. I have to be up early tomorrow."

He wrapped an arm around her waist as they went inside, Hermione squirming a little when he tickled her lightly.

"It's your turn to get Rosie if she wakes up." Hermione reminded Ron. "Good night."

He kissed her cheek and watched her fall asleep.

A/N: So this is more of an introduction than the actual story, except perhaps the part about Ron missing Rose's birthday because I can tell you now that that will be significant. And now, for an announcement: There is a poll up on my profile concerning this story. I want to know if you'd like to see more fluff or more drama, perhaps a threat not from within but from some evil force? Just throwing an idea out, because drama is quite fun to write. SO the poll will only be open for a day because I am on a writing SPREE and really do not fancy waiting. So PLEASE after you review this little intro (pretty please? :) ) head over to my profile and VOTE! Please! I want to appeal to the readers here. So again I hope you enjoyed and hope you stick along for the ride! Wow that sounded corny…

XOXO, Love always,

Sparkshine