2013
When you have kids, your life as a couple changes and you need to learn how to adjust to that new life. Cherishing every moment when you are able to just be with your partner.
Ron and Hermione had found a way to create those moments for themselves. Whether it was late-night talks in the kitchen with a glass of wine, stolen kisses when their kids were playing in the garden or waking up an hour earlier than usual. Now that Rose was eight and old enough to watch her little brother for a while, they started a new habit of going on walks together. At first, their kids wanted to join (and they did a few times), but it turned out that children aren’t particularly thrilled to just walk around with nowhere to end up.
So the two stayed at home and kept themselves busy, while Ron and Hermione stuck to their Sunday afternoon strolls. The couple trusted Rose enough to be on her own with her brother for a maximum of 45 minutes before chaos broke loose. She was a rule follower, her brother was not and had a talent for convincing people to join him in his shenanigans. Being his sister, however, Rose could usually resist the longest. Still, Hermione wanted to play it safe and preferred to not return to a burnt-down house and therefore the two of them never left their children alone for too long.
“Okay, Rosie. You got this, right?”
“Yes, mum,” Rose nodded, “no more biscuits for Hugo and no chasing Crooksy into the Christmas tree.”
“Good,” Hermione kissed the top of her daughter's head and slid on her coat.
“We trust you,” Ron chimed in.
“I know,” his daughter groaned, “do we really need to talk about this every Sunday?”
“Yes,” her parents respond in unison.
“It’s gonna be fine! Now go on your silly walk,” Rose pushed them gently towards the front door and opened it. The pair stepped outside and she closed the door behind them.
“Merlin, she’s something,” Ron muttered.
“She’s your daughter.”
“Hey!”
Hermione laughed and slid her hand into his, “I’m just joking.” She stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek, “let’s get going.”
The couple walked along the path beside a small forest close to their house. The air was cold and their noses red, as their footprints left a trail behind. They talked about everything and nothing, Hermione’s hand resting in Ron’s in the pocket of his big coat. The two of them walked mindlessly since it was their usual route and they didn't need to pay any attention to where they were going anymore.
Ron took a deep breath, “this is great."
“I agree,” Hermione smiled at him.
“Don’t get me wrong I love the kids but sometimes -”
“I know,” she chuckled, “if the kids came along we would have had at least two snowball fights by now.”
Ron joined in with her laughter, “I wouldn’t necessarily blame those on the kids alone.”
“No?”
“Nah, I started my fair share of those before.”
“That’s true, but I’m confident you only did it in favour of the kids.”
“I’ll let you believe that,” he chuckles as he nudges her shoulder.
The pair kept walking, falling into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company. They passed a large field and watched a fox teach their offspring how to hunt for food from afar. Peacefully Ron and Hermione stood next to each other, Ron’s arm around her shoulder as they watched the scene in front of them. The sun was beginning to set on this beautiful winter afternoon and the air became even colder.
“We should probably head back soon,” Ron suggested.
Hermione shook her head and turned to her husband, “Not yet.”
He smiled at her and kissed the tip of her cold nose, “are you not concerned about the kids?”
“It’s been like 20 minutes. They are gonna be fine,” she slipped her arms around his waist and rest her head against his chest, “I’d rather enjoy this moment with you a bit loner.”
Ron rested his chin on the top of her head and his arms around her shoulders pulling her close, “yeah, me too.”
A few moments passed before he spoke again, “Sometimes I still can’t believe our lives turned out the way they did.”
“Yeah me neither,” Hermione nodded moving her head to look up at him, “I’m glad though, that it turned out the way it did.”
“Me too.”
“You and the kids are the best thing about my life, I hope you know that, Ron.”
“I do,” he smiled, “and I hope you know I feel the same way.”
“I do too,” she rose to her toes and kissed him gently. Ron responded to her immediately, pulling her closer.
“We should probably get back to our monsters,” he whispered after.
Hermione swatted him against the arm, “don’t call them that.”
He laughed and grabbed her hand and the couple made their way back to their house, where they arrived just in time before their Crookshanks-infested Christmas tree was about to fall on their biscuit-eating six-year-old son.