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Hermione Weasley sighed, turning as she heard the shrieks of her young child, Hugo. He had been in a very stubborn mood, refusing to take a bath.
“Come on, Hugo, please! It won’t take too long!” Hermione pleaded desperately with the young five year old. Hugo’s response was to scream louder, his small arms pin wheeling as he fought against his mother. Hermione exhaled in exasperation, lifting her head as the sound of the door opening reached her ears over Hugo’s wails. Ronald Weasley stepped inside the bathroom, a haggard look fixed upon his face.
“Hard day?” Hermione asked, batting away an errant limb.
“Yeah,” Ron replied. “Another Death Eater wannabe. Why Voldemort is still so popular even after all he did, I’ll never understand. Kid decided to cast the Dark Mark. Scared a young witch and wizard to death. They both Apparated over to the ministry, despite the fact they were underage. They ended up splinching themselves.”
Ron grimaced; he had been the one to find the rest of their body parts. They had left behind an arm and a leg. Ron felt for them, having experienced how painful it was to be abruptly and unwillingly separated from part of his body. Harry hadn’t been pleased. They worked together in the Auror department and had been less than happy to discover that the Dark Mark had been set off just as they were ready to go home. Luckily for the culprit, they had arrived in time to apprehend him and did not have to chase after him all night. Harry was a right piece of work when he was forced to work after hours and he always took it out on the one responsible for the time spent away from his family.
“Who was it?” Hermione asked curiously.
Ron sneered. “Little Gregory Goyle Jr., who else?”
Hermione shook her head. Ron and Harry had been having trouble with Goyle’s son. He seemed most keen to follow his grandfather’s path in life. They had arrested him several times and he’d been suspended from Hogwarts twice already.
“On the up side,” Ron continued. “I think he’ll actually be tried as an adult this time. The courts are just as fed up with him as the Aurors are. Maybe they’ll finally do something about it.”
Ron glanced down at his still struggling son and grabbed him, walking out of the bathroom and heading up the stairs. Hermione raised an eyebrow, looking pointedly at the bath tub full of water. Ron shrugged sheepishly and threw Hugo up into the air, neatly catching him.
“He’s gonna break his neck, Ronald!” Hermione yelled, though she was still smiling. She loved to see Ron play with his kids.
Hermione left the bathroom; clearly bath time would not be happening until later that night. She went downstairs to the kitchen to begin dinner preparations. She had just finished browning the ground beef for tacos when Rose came in through the door.
“Hey, Mum.” She greeted, getting up on a bar stool and settling down at the counter, her elbows propping her head up.
“Hello Rose. Did you have fun at Lilly’s?” Hermione inquired. Lilly Potter was the cutest little thing. She mirrored Ginny very much.
“Yes. Until Uncle Harry came home and started ranting about work at the Ministry. Aunt Ginny said it was best that I go on home. Uncle Harry agreed so they sent me back.” Rose answered, idly playing with her hair.
Hermione laughed. “Well, I’m not surprised. Your father came home and did the exact same thing.” Rose grinned and then hopped down from the stool. She went upstairs and Hermione soon heard the sounds of Hugo and Rose playing.
“Ahhh! Hermione!!!!” Ron suddenly yelled from upstairs.
Hermione froze, her heart pounding. Ron’s voice was full of a terror that Hermione had only heard during the war. She snatched her wand and ran upstairs, her mind racing of how best to protect the children and themselves. She slowed as she approached the bedroom, her body battle ready and her senses on high alert. When she turned the corner and laid eyes on the scene before her, her jaw dropped.
Ronald Weasley was standing on the dresser, an expression of pure horror on his face. There on the bed was a spider; a tiny, little, black ordinary house spider. Hermione blinked. She blinked again. Her lips twitched. She inhaled sharply, attempting to keep herself under control…
“It’s evil, vile!”
…and promptly burst into laughter.
Ron glared at her and growled through gritted teeth, “this isn’t funny, Hermione. I swear they’re conspiring against me!”
“T-they?” Hermione managed to gasp out. “Ron, I only see one spider. One teeny tiny black s-spider.”
Ron pouted and shook his head firmly. “No. There’s also one on the floor, one by the window, and then another by the closet!” he complained. His voice was still tinged with fear.
Hermione bit her lip, ceasing in her laughter for a moment and looked in the direction her husband was gesturing. Sure enough, there sat three more tiny black spiders. Hermione pursed her lips, trying not to collapse into another fit of giggles.
“Ronald, they’re not going to hurt you, love.” She murmured as she took in Ron’s quaking form. She felt sympathy, but mostly amusement.
“You don’t know that!” Ron objected. “Look at their beady black eyes, they’re evil!”
“Mum, why is Dad standing on the dresser claiming the spiders are evil?” Rose asked innocently. She and Hugo stood at the doorway.
“Because your father is a big ol’ wuss and can’t handle a few small spiders when he’s a fully grown wizard. Not to mention an Auror.” A voice behind them replied. Hermione turned to see Ginny Potter standing there, an amused smirk plastered across her face.
“Hey, Hermione. Harry sent me to ask you to dinner Sunday, but I see that you’re, ah, busy with your wimpy husband. Honestly, can’t even handle a spider.” Ginny shook her head and grinned.
“Oh, bugger off Ginny!” Ron exclaimed hotly. “Nice choice of words, Ron. Bugger off. As in bug.” Ginny responded serenely. She leaned against the wall and examined her nails.
Hermione decided it was time to cut in.
“Tell Harry we’d be happy to.” Hermione smiled at Ginny and she nodded, then turned on her heel and disappeared with a loud ‘crack’.
“Hermione, please.” Ron begged from his position.
Hermione sighed, and then grabbed her wand. With a blast, she killed all four spiders. She waved her wand and a nearly invisible mist spread poison around the room to kill any hiding ones. With another flick of her wand, the spiders disappeared into oblivion.
Ron sighed in relief and climbed down from the dresser. Hugo and Rose left, snickering and smirking. Ron came over and wrapped his arms around his wife.
“Thanks, Mione.” He murmured into her hair.
Hermione smiled. “You’re welcome Ron. The spiders wouldn’t have hurt you, you know.”
“I know, but I just…I can’t stand those things.” Ron shuddered and Hermione hugged him tighter.
“I know.”
Ron grinned and leaned down to deliver a kiss to Hermione’s lips. She grinned and kissed back. Before the kiss could escalate into something more, someone cleared their throat, prompting the two to break apart and look toward the door.
Hugo stood there, a smirk on his youthful face. Ron looked over warily. Hugo had his fist clamped around something and the look on Hugo’s face was making Ron uneasy.
“Dad, I found this. I wondered if you could tell me what it is.” Hugo stated innocently.
Then he held his hand out, opened his fist, and showed his father what was hidden.
An ugly, hairy, large brown tarantula sat on Hugo’s palm. Ron stiffened against Hermione. He moaned.
“No, no no no no no! Get it away from me! Get that thing away from me!” he cried out, stumbling back in terror. Hermione glared at her son and with a flick of her wand killed the spider.
“Hugo!” she reprimanded. Hugo grinned and dashed away before Hermione could grab him.
Ron regained his footing and darted down the stairs after his son, cursing under his breath the entire way. Hermione shook her head and turned to watch Ron chase Hugo around the yard through the window. She went to lean on the windowsill, but something caught her eye. There on the frame of the window, a spider sat. It was brown, and was looking at Hermione with what could be the spider equivalent of curiosity. Smiling, Hermione gingerly picked the spider up and placed him outside of the window.
“It’s best that you leave before Ron gets back. We don’t want another breakdown.” She whispered as she closed the window tightly.
Still smiling, Hermione shook her head. My family.