Brixham House (On Temp. Hold)

2. Cards

May 2007

Hermione was reminded of a short memory in her childhood, when at eight years old her parents had moved her out of the country hills and into the suburbs of London. It was closer to their dentistry, and unfortunately closer to the mess of the city. 

It had been a weekend affair. With moving boxes, trucks and lots of bickering between the couple. Hermione had been assigned to pack her books, and she remembered clearly how serious she had taken it. Alphabetical. Color coordinated. Year it was published. 

As a wizard, some odd fifteen years later, moving was much easier.

It took one floo connection, a handful of trips and an extra set of hands to wrangle Rose.

In just one Saturday morning, Hermione was officially moved into George's house. Their rooms were on opposite sides of the house. George had his bedroom, with a bathroom and next door his office where he spent the majority of his days.

Then in the middle of the house sat a living room, connected to a kitchen and a breakfast nook. Scarcely decorated as truthfully George didn't spend a lot of time in any of those places. 

Then it was Hermione's new bedroom, and a bathroom in between to Rose's new bedroom. With, much to Hermione's shock, floor to ceiling bookshelves and a window that overlooked the backyard. As well as the rolling green fields.

"We need to discuss rent George." Hermione insisted for most likely the tenth time that day. George flicked his hand lazily, filling his dish cupboard with the rest of Hermione's mugs and bowls. They clashed with George's all white dish set, throwing in shades of color and chipped porcelain. 

"No." George stated simply, vanishing the empty box before moving to the next.

"George! I can't live here for free, this is to much!" Hermione hissed, waving her wand at a bag full of Rose's snacks. They flew into the pantry before the door slammed shut.

"Sure you can." George shrugged, vanishing another box.

"Anybody home!?"

George winked at Hermione as Harry's voice rang through the house, before pushing off the counter to go greet the man.

"Mummy! Mummy!" Rose shouted, barreling through the back door that George had left open so they could hear Rose in case she needed them.

"In the kitchen love!" Hermione shouted, deciding she'd move by hand to put her tea packets in a drawer. It was calming, therapeutic if she dared. 

"I found a pet!"

Hermione tensed, slowly turned to find her daughter covered in mud. Tracking it through the breakfast nook, into the kitchen. In her small chubby hands, a frog croaked in greeting. It's eyes bulging from it's head, and it's skin covered in slimy green warts. 

"Get back outside." Hermione stated evenly. Taking a deep breath, before walking towards her daughter and grabbing her bicep. "Right now." She hissed, hurrying out the door before George could stumble upon them and kick them out. It would be Rose' doing, getting them booted not an hour after moving in. 

"Oh dear." Hermione looked up from her kneeling spot on the back deck, brushing off Rose as she rambled on about her new frog.

Ginny grinned at her, rubbing her belly and holding a drooling James on her hip.

"Is this a terrible idea?" Hermione whispered, standing so Rose could bound over and show James her frog. James scrambled out of his mother's arms to chase after Rose in the grass. His fist shoved in his mouth to ease the teething pains.