2000
Christmas at the Burrow - a concept you only truly understood if you were part of it. The smell of gravy mixed with the warmth of the old, lit fireplace in the sitting room. Old Weasley sweaters being replaced by new ones. Siblings pranking each other and their mother scolding them for it. Christmas at the Burrow meant good food, love and laughter. It was one of the only times of the year everyone in the Weasley family and their respective significant others could all come together. And even with the nightmares of the war still following them over two years later, Christmas felt like home to everyone.
Hermione was grateful to be a part of it and had learned to enjoy the bustling atmosphere of the large family over the last few years. Coming from a family of three it took some adjustments, but she gladly adapted and enjoyed always having someone around while being over at the Burrow for Christmas. This year they were joined by one more person. Little Victoire was born on the second anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts and brought back some light into the world. Having a baby around was a nice, although messy change and Hermione happily helped out with her as much as the small girl would let her. She wasn’t quite sure if Victoire liked her. She was a fickle little creature - sometimes smiling, oftentimes hiding her face from Hermione. However, Victoire did like one particular person - Ron. Whenever he was around the baby insisted on being held by him. It was endearing to witness and being an uncle came naturally to Ron.
Right now, he was sitting on the sofa in the living room of the Burrow, Victoire sitting on his lap. He watched her as she tried to put a square block into a pyramid-shaped hole in her activity cube set. Just watching them, Hermione felt her patience leave her body. She would have done it for Victoire after about two of her failed attempts. But Ron didn’t, he just watched his niece figure it out on her own and when she did, he told her what a great job she had done.
Hermione smiled at the scene in front of her. Something about the man she loved being this good with children made her melt inside. She observed a bit longer, from her position in the doorway, feeling unseen. The Burrow was pretty quiet this Christmas day afternoon. Many of them had gone for a walk, while Molly was cleaning the kitchen and Fleur was resting. Hermione decided to help out Molly, and Ron ‘volunteered’ to watch Victoire for a bit. He really had no choice though, because the girl started crying whenever Ron left her side. If it wasn’t so cute, Hermione would have felt a bit jealous, which is ridiculous considering Victoire is a literal baby.
“Do you think she knows that we know she’s staring at us?” Ron asked the girl suddenly.
Victoire giggled in response. Hermione smiled and walked over to sit down next to them.
“How long have you been watching?”
“For a bit,” she responds, “you are good with her.”
“She doesn’t leave me a choice now, does she?” He chuckled.
“You are definitely her favourite,” she smiled at him and grabbed one of Victoire’s blocks and put it in her box. The little girl laughed and took the block out again, to mimic the same thing Hermione had just done.
“Good job, Victoire,” Ron told her and Victoire laughed again.
“She’s the cutest,” Hermione sighed.
“She really is,” Ron agreed, “I can’t believe how much she has grown already.”
“Yeah, it’s crazy. We don’t see her that often, but I swear she was much smaller just yesterday.”
The couple laughed and fell silent watching Victoire babble sounds to herself, before letting out a big yawn.
“Maybe we should bring her to Fleur, so she could put her down?” Hermione suggested.
“I’m right here,” Fleur cut in from the entrance to the sitting room, “thank you so much for watching her.” She smiled at the couple and then turned to look at her daughter, “Now, madam, it is time for a nap.”
Victoire giggled as Fleur picked her up and walked out of the room, towards the staircase.
Hermione watched them walk away, before resting her head on Ron’s shoulder. He rested his head against hers, and intertwined their hands, gently stroking her thumb with his. They sat together for a while, closing their eyes.
After a while Hermione found the courage to speak up, “I want that with you someday, Ron. I hope you know that.”
Ron smiled to himself, “I was hoping you would.”
She moved to look at him, “of course I do.”
“Good,” he nodded, “you’re it for me, ‘Mione and starting a family with you would be the greatest gift I could ever wish for.”
“Not soon, though,” she added carefully.
“Whenever you’re ready, love,” he promised.
Hermione leaned in and captured his lips in a soft kiss, “I love you,” she mumbled against his lips.
“I love you more,” he mumbles back.
“Impossible.” She deepened their kiss, cupping his face gently and moving closer to him. He responds immediately, pulling her even closer so that her leg was resting on his. She felt his tongue slip inside her mouth and let out a soft moan. Forgetting that they were in the middle of his parents' sitting room, they let their tongues continue to dance around.
“Oi, there might not be a war going on right now, but I still don’t want to see it,” Harry interrupted them.
“Piss off, Potter.”
“Alright, but if your mother walks in on you two I'll make sure you’ll never forget it.”
Ron groaned and pulled away from Hermione.
“We’ll have time later,” she whispered and Ron grinned at her.
“I love you so much,” Ron told her once again.
“I still love you more.”
“Impossible.”