Everything That You Are...

October 27th 2006

Ron slumped back in bed. Neither he or Hermione had been sleeping very well. Hermione was curled up next to him, half asleep. Ron felt his eyelids become heavy. He raised a sigh and yawned simultaneously, before letting his eyes close shut. But as his eyelashes touched, there was another cry from across the room. Hermione let out a groan of tiredness.

"It's your turn" she mumbled. Ron sighed. He wasn't in the mood to argue with Hermione that it had been 'his turn' for the past three times. He pulled the covers of him and strolled over to the cot on the opposite side of the room.

Inside the cot lay a tiny little baby. Her eyes were screwed up, crying. Her little button nose was crinkled and her cheeks were red. She had wisps of ginger hair sprouting from her little head. Ron scooped up the baby and cradled it in his arms.

"Come on Rosie. Ssshh. Ssshh. That's nearly ten times tonight!" Ron whispered, letting out a breathy laugh.

"What's the matter with her?" Hermione asked sleepily. Ron lifted baby Rose a bit higher.

"It's not her nappy," he sniffed, "and I'm cuddling her so apparently it's not attention she wants."

Hermione groaned again. "So she's hungry? Bring her here." Rose was a very hungry baby. Hermione was beginning to get fed up of the constant feeding. Ron brought Rose over to their bed and placed her in her mother's arms. Hermione pulled down the neckline of her nightshirt and held Rose's head close to her breast.

Ron slumped back under the covers. He looked at Hermione and Rose.

"She's a beautiful miracle and stuff...but she can be a nightmare." Ron chuckled. Hermione smirked.

The pair of them sat in silence for a while whilst Rose fed. Hermione eventually eased her baby away from her chest, pulled up her nightshirt and re-wrapped the blankets around Rose. Almost as soon as she did this, Rose fell asleep, letting out little gurgles as she breathed. Hermione stroked her head.

"She can be a nightmare, you're right Ronald. But she's our nightmare. Our beautiful, miraculous little nightmare."

Ron smiled his same old goofy smile and shuffled towards his girls, wrapping his arm around Hermione. He stroked Rose's cheek with his finger.

"She's so tiny." He remarked.

"Newborn babies have a tendency of being tiny." Hermione pointed out. Ron kissed Hermione's forehead and pulled his arm a little tighter around her.

"She looks like you." Hermione nodded. "Well, she's got your hair and your eyes and your freckles-"

"-but she has your little nose." Ron said, tapping Rose's nose as he said it.

"Let's hope she doesn't get my teeth." Hermione laughed. Ron joined her, and before they knew it, they were in stifled hysterics, trying to keep their volume so as not to disturb their daughter. "She's going to be a daddy's girl, I can tell." Hermione said. Ron smiled at Rose, before tucking his large hands behind her tiny body and picking her up. He tottered over to the cot and laid little Rose back under her blanket. Pulling up a chair beside the cot, Ron began to sing.

"The stars are up. The moon is out. There are midnight fairies dancing in the garden. They like to twirl on the daisys, and leap on the tulips, but their favourites are the roses..."

Hermione watched lovingly.

"...so sleep tight with the fairies on the roses" Ron finished. He was still humming the tune when he climbed back into bed. Hermione had

rolled over and was facing away from him. Ron ran his hand up Hermione's leg and placed it on her waist. He then pulled himself close behind her, nestling his face in her curls. Hermione could feel Ron's breath on her neck. She touched the hand that was on her waist and entwined her fingers with his.

"I love you Hermione."

"I love you too, Ron."

And with that they closed their eyes and fell into deep sleeps. Rose, to their surprise and delight, did not wake up again that night.