Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Set right after the Second Wizarding War. Harry and Ron have just become Auror's, and Harry has taken Teddy into his home. But when Harry goes missing, who is left to take care of Teddy? Ron, with the help of Hermione, is forced to pick up the broken pieces, bringing the new couple only closer together.

CHAPTER 1

"Ron! Wake up! Hermione is here!" Ginny yelled up the stairs of the Burrow.

Ron groaned, rolling over in his sleep. It was early and he was not exactly ready to wake up, but he was happy to see Hermione, and that thought alone had forced him to sit up in bed.

He only had a few days with her left before she went off to Hogwarts and he began his job as an auror. He had been training all summer and he was ready to begin his career.

But he was not ready to spend so much time away from Hermione. And he felt awful leaving his mother in the Burrow with no children to look after any longer. The only good thing was that Andromeda Tonks had promised to bring little Teddy over as much as possible.

Ron sighed, stretching out and thinking briefly of everything that had happened in the past few months.

Voldemort had been defeated, and the Wizarding World was at a solemn peace again. Many families were still burying lost ones, trying to move on, and the Weasley's were no different.

Fred was gone. Leaving behind a devastated Mrs. Weasley, and a grieving family.

Tonks and Remus were gone, leaving behind a beautiful baby boy.

Teddy. He had been the one thing that had kept a smile on everyone's face at the Burrow even through Fred's funeral. In fact, he had kept a smile on most of their faces throughout the summer.

But now the summer was ending, and even bigger changes were taking place. For one, Harry and Ron were both being recruited into Auror training while Hermione and Ginny were heading back to Hogwarts to finish their last year. It would be stressful for the new young couples, especially Hermione and Ron who had literally spent the previous year together, day in night, hunting down horcruxes.

Ron hated the thought of not being able to see her everyday. True, they were no longer living in the same tent since Hermione had restored her parents memories a month early, but they made a point of seeing each other at least once a day, if not more. That would now prove difficult with her at Hogwarts and him moving to Grimmauld Place with Harry.

A knock on the door broke Ron out of his thoughts.

"Ginny, I'm up—" Ron started, but stopped when the door opened and Hermione stepped in.

"Not Ginny, but good, I was going to come wake you." Hermione had a bit of a smirk on her face.

Ron grinned goofily back at her and stood, moving to give her a chaste kiss. It had been weird at first, kissing her every time he saw her. He had fought the urge to do it for so long that it seemed surreal, after the Battle of Hogwarts, that they could snog whenever they felt like it. Now, however, he was used to it and certainly never complained about it, though Hermione always kept their snog sessions to a minimum and always in private places. Ron didn't mind; he would go as slow as she wanted. He was pretty sure he had forever with her.

"I didn't expect you so early." Ron said.

"Early? Its nearly lunch time, Ron." Hermione laughed as he tossed a t-shirt on.

"Really? Bloody hell…I slept late." Ron shook his head, glad it was the weekend.

"Tough day at training last night?" Hermione asked.

Ron shrugged. Last night had been his final night of auror training, then he had the week off, and would start his first case the following week.

"Well, your mum made lunch. Then I thought we could go for a walk outside? Its so beautiful out…" Hermione commented.

"A walk?" Ron wiggled his eyebrow at her, and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her on the nose. "What kind of walk?"

"A normal one, you pig." Hermione joked back, knowing what Ron was trying to imply. "I thought you said we weren't rushing with any of that?"

"We aren't." Ron shrugged. "Just thought maybe you changed your mind since after next week you won't get to see me everyday."

Hermione laughed a bit then sighed. "I know…how will I ever manage at Hogwarts all alone?"

Ron shrugged. "Guess you will be sneaking out a lot…"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Ron cocked his own eyebrow. "You won't be? Too busy studying, I suppose…being Head Girl and all…"

"You will be just as busy working as I will be studying." Hermione playfully poked a finger into his chest.

Ron sighed and kissed her on the forehead. "Guess you are right…"

"It will be weird to be there without you and Harry." Hermione admitted after a long moment.

"Well, you will have Ginny, and I am sure you aren't the only one going back, right? Isn't Neville?" Ron asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, but still…"

"You'll be fine. You will be doing what you love…studying…without the added distraction of me or Harry or anything Voldemort related." Ron said the dark lord's name casually. It held so much less puncture now that he was defeated.

Hermione nodded, about to say something else, when the cries of a baby came drifting up the stairs.

"Teddy's here." Hermione smiled. She had never spent much time around children, and even around Teddy she was still unsure of herself, but she had to admit, she loved him with all her heart.

"Let's head down then…" Ron said, taking her hand and never letting it go as they walked down the stairs. He loved holding her hand.

Harry sat in the kitchen as he watched Mrs. Weasley fuss over Teddy, who he had brought with him that particular morning. Harry couldn't help but smile and feel a bit pleased with himself as he watched the older women, who he could consider as close to a mother as he would ever get, fuss over the baby. He knew Teddy brought a smile to Mrs. Weasley's face, which had often contained a permanent frown since Fred's death. He knew Mrs. Weasley was trying to get over it and be strong for the rest of her family, but it was clear she was a mother who had lost a child.

"He's getting so big already…" Mrs. Weasley said, as Ginny entered the kitchen.

"I know." Harry smiled and stood, kissing Ginny quickly.

"Andromeda is taking good care of you…" Mrs. Weasley cooed at the baby.

"Uh…actually…that is something I wanted to talk to you all about…" Harry said once Hermione and Ron entered the kitchen, hand-in-hand.

"What?" Ron clearly hadn't heard exactly what Harry had said.

"I wanted to talk to you…about Teddy…" Harry said.

Mrs. Weasley turned, her smile fading a bit as she held the infant close. "Is something wrong with him?"

"Well, not—" Harry started.

"Harry, if it is, I am sure it is something curable…he's so young, we could easily figure it out." Hermione cut him off, having clearly already decided that Mrs. Weasley must be onto something; that something was wrong with Teddy.

"No, nothing's wrong with him at all…not as far as I know anyway." Harry said quickly, wanting to ease the looks of worry he was getting from the rest of the occupants of the kitchen.

"Oh, Merlin's Beard…you scared us half to death, Harry…" Mrs. Weasley calmed down at bit.

"I didn't mean to. I was just trying to say…well…Andromeda can't really take care of Teddy after all…" Harry said.

"What?" Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, and Hermione all said at once, while Ron simply cocked an eyebrow.

"She just said he's a bit much…she asked…well she asked if I would take him." Harry said casually.

"She asked you to—but Harry, you're not even twenty. Surely, you don't want a baby this young…" Hermione said, always reasonable.

"What choice do I have? I can't just leave him…I'm his god-father." Harry said, feeling a surge of pride in his words.

"But Harry, you just started your career—" Hermione started.

"I can't leave him, Hermione. I am his god-father." Harry repeated, and then added quietly. "Sirius didn't abandon me."

"So you are taking him then." Ginny said, her voice not a question, as she moved to stand next to Harry, clearly supporting his decision against anyone who tried to talk him out of it, namely Hermione.

"Yeah. I am." Harry nodded.

"To Grimmauld Place?" Ron's face fell a bit and he couldn't hide his disappointment. He had been excited to live there, just Harry and himself. He figured they could do as they pleased, but a baby would certainly limit that; not to mention the amount of sleep he got.

"Problem?" Harry cocked an eyebrow.

"No." Ron quickly shook his head, clearly able to see it was a serious subject with Harry and something he would just have to learn to deal with.

"But, Harry, what about when you go on your Auror missions?" Hermione asked, again being reasonable. It was not that she did not love Teddy or that she didn't understand how serious Harry had taken his god-father duties. She just wanted to make sure Harry had thought everything through because a baby was a lifelong commitment.

"I am sure mum wouldn't mind helping." Ginny spoke up, glancing at her mother. She would stand by whatever decision Harry made.

"Oh, of course not. I'd love to!" Mrs. Weasley said quickly.

Ron did smile at this. It meant that it would give his mother something to do other then be upset over Fred's passing.

"Really?" Harry grinned at the older woman.

"Of course, dear." Mrs. Weasley said, nodding quickly.

"Brilliant, because I actually have my first case on Monday…" Harry said.

"What? Monday? But we only just finished training. I thought we were going to be working together." Ron said quickly, feeling a little crushed that Harry would get to start work before he would.

"And we leave for Hogwarts on Wednesday!" Ginny added, now clearly a little upset.

Harry shrugged. "Kingsley asked if I would help him on this…there's nothing I can do."

"Blimey, you're helping Kingsley?" Ron asked, now clearly a little jealous of his friend.

Harry nodded. "He said he wanted you and I doing our first cases separately…just to prove to everyone else we belong there and don't need to rely on one another."

"Oh…I…I guess that makes sense." Ron shrugged, half listening. He was still a little upset but he knew there was nothing he or Harry could do about it. And, at any rate, it would give him a little more time with Hermione.

"Well, I guess its settled then. I'm taking Teddy, and Mrs. Weasley, you will watch him while I go off next week?" Harry asked.

"Surely." Mrs. Weasley nodded.

Harry then turned his attention to Ron. "I hope its not rushing you…but I'd like us to be moved into Grimmauld Place by tomorrow…that gives us the weekend to sort everything out before I leave since I figure by the time I get back you might have left on your own mission."

Ron glanced up at Hermione. He had promised her they would spend the weekend together.

"Its fine, Ron. I can help you move in." Hermione could see the apology coming and there was no need. Ron had no control over it, and at any rate, they would still spend time together.

"Alright." Ron smiled at her and then nodded at Harry. "Sounds good to me."

Harry just nodded back, just as Teddy began fussing, Ron glanced once more at the baby in his mothers arms and wondered just how he was going to move in with those screams in less then twenty-four hours.