cleverness | i've been saving up my moments, but now i'll spend them with you

If Hermione were to try and describe the developments in her life brought on by pregnancy, more than anything, she would single out a certain tenderness that seemed to permeate her entire life. Even before the onset of physical changes, she would wake up with a different level of awareness, hand brushing subconsciously over her stomach as she went about her day, protecting the gift and journey that she and Ron were embarking on together. It was a shift that her customers noticed in the shop, many turning around with remedies for the symptoms of pregnancy — something to help with the nausea, something for the aches and soreness. She didn't question how they knew, instead comforted by the change in the smile she saw in the mirror, as well as the gentle brush of Ron's touch as he spent more time by her side.

Parenthood would suit them, Hermione thought.

With the impending birth also came a renewed desire for the both of them to enjoy what time they had left together as a couple. Any opportunity for an extra hour or two off was quickly taken up by the pair, enjoying one another's company around the house, out on the town, or as they did today, on a stroll through the park. Hermione kept her neck warmly wrapped in a scarf, her breath occasionally fogging in the air against the chilly wind. One hand slipped inside Ron's pocket, where their fingers laced easily as they made their way down the path, through the crisp scent of impending winter.

"Should we sit for a while? Have some tea?" Hermione asked, glancing over her shoulder to see if there was anyone in the vicinity before surreptitiously tapping the flask she'd brought for the occasion with her wand, heating the contents inside.

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It would have been difficult to ignore how his and Hermione's relationship had changed in recent weeks. Knowing that they were going to be parents, and that the fateful day was drawing ever closer had served to bring them closer more than anything else. One thing that had started to annoy Ron in recent days, though, was just how little time he was finding the Darrow police department was willing to let him request off of work. He was quickly realizing that his desire to head out and try to keep the city safe was being overshadowed by how much he would have rather spent time with Hermione or with planning for the baby's inevitable arrival.

He'd gone completely mental.

Yes, he knew they still had months yet for all that. It didn't stop him thinking about it. He hadn't told Hermione, but he'd even been doing a bit of reading on his own, hiding a copy of a book some Muggle shopkeeper had recommended-- What to Expect When You're Expecting-- at work. It was the most reading he'd done of his own volition in ages.

Lost in his own thoughts a bit as they walked, Ron was snapped out of it at Hermione's suggestion. The weather hadn't turned too cold for being about in it for a while yet, though it likely would soon.

"You've always got the best ideas," he replied, and wished he'd thought to bring something along as well.

"I do pride myself on being clever," Hermione laughed, resting her head briefly on Ron's shoulder before guiding both of them towards the bench and taking a seat. The use of such a charm wouldn't have been permitted in such a public place back home, but Hermione also waved her wand to cast a Repelling Charm on the area, mostly wanting to give herself and her husband some privacy.

A bit of selfishness, Hermione thought, but with reason.

Reaching into her bag for a couple of large, homey mugs, Hermione twisted the top of the flask open. The steam from the water rose in the air in small wisps, and she raised her gaze with them, smiling at Ron.

"Any cream or sugar?"

"Just cream, thanks," Ron replied, and he'd grown fond, over the years, of the way Hermione always over-prepared, even for things like a walk about the park. Her Undetectable Extension Charms had been a lifesaver more than a few times during the war, when they'd been hunting horcruxes with Harry. The fact that she hadn't given up the practice was comforting, to say the least.

"And if you've got a table and chairs in there, though, I'd better be the one to lift them out," he added.

"If I recall correctly, I was the one who taught you the proper way to cast a Levitation Charm, back in the day," Hermione pointed out with a small smirk, adding tea leaves to the thermos in a small, spherical strainer. "I think I can more than handle a table and a couple of chairs. But if we should ever have to lift a troll's club again, I'll leave that task to you."

While waiting for the tea to properly steep, Hermione settled more comfortably against Ron, letting his arm curl around her shoulders.

"How are things coming along at work? Does it look like you'll have time off for the holidays?"

That Halloween so many years ago was one that Ron didn't think he'd ever forget. Alright, so maybe he'd been to blame for what he might have said about Hermione as an eleven year old prat, but he liked to think that he, Harry and Hermione had properly become friends that night.

Hermione settled against him a bit more and Ron sighed, frowning.

"I don't think I'll get much, if any," he admitted, and had been growing increasingly frustrated that he'd had to spend so much time working, recently. He had half a mind to perform a memory charm on his superior officer and take a long weekend. He reckoned Hermione wouldn't have been alright with that, though.

"I'll be glad to just get Christmas day off."

"I suppose crime never takes a day off, does it? Or... helping the entirety of the city to function, really," Hermione mused, and although she did feel a slight pang at the notion that Ron might not have much time to spend with his family over the holidays, one of the benefits to her job being one that set its own hours was that they could still take a holiday together, on their own schedules, at a later date if they wanted. "I'll count myself fortunate if you have Christmas Day off, but just let me know your schedule in advance, and I can close the Lamplight so that we can all have time together. The both of us, plus your mother and Charlie. As long as the four of us can celebrate, I think that's as much as we'd ever need to have a good holiday."

She raised a hand to brush some of Ron's hair back from where the wind had ruffled it. "It's nice to be able to enjoy quiet days like this while we can. I know I'm a bit impatient to meet our child, but I'm sure that once they're born, we won't have nearly as much time to ourselves. I'll need you to actually start waking up in the night, you know. Be more of a light sleeper than usual," she teased with a grin.

"What d'you mean? I'm a light sleeper," Ron replied, though he knew Hermione was right. During the war had been one thing, but these days, he could sleep through nearly anything most nights. He'd had enough things chucked at him while he was still asleep to be completely sure of that fact. And somehow, he had a feeling that might happen again, once the baby was born.

As the days went on, he was starting to become more and more aware about how things were going to change for them in a number of months.They'd fallen into a routine, the two of them and Charlie and Mum, and it was all going to be thrown into a tailspin. Ron was finding that he minded less and less, though. If there was ever anything worth changing everything for, it was this.

"I'm not going to cook a full breakfast for you each time I need you to wake up," Hermione teased lightly, shaking her head at the thought. She can't help but imagine that Molly will be over often to help, especially in the first few weeks as Ron and herself adjust to the needs of the baby. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if your mother comes by often with exactly that. After raising the seven of you, I'm sure looking after one grandchild will seem easy to her. Your mother's really quite the woman."

Shaking her head, Hermione pours out two cups of tea, adding cream to Ron's and holding it out gently for him.

"You know, in another month, we might be able to learn the sex of the baby," she remarked, taking a small sip of tea.

"Not much point in going to a healer for that, though," Ron replied, taking the tea from Hermione and holding the warm mug in his hands, "It'll be a boy."

With six in his family and Hermione being an only child, it only made sense. Maybe Bill and Fleur had a girl, but that was only because Fleur had a sister, wasn't it? You didn't need a Muggle healer to work it out.

"We're that confident in the Weasley genes, are we?" Hermione asked, though she had to admit that she was also expecting a son, especially after the birth of James Sirius. "Bill and Fleur had Victoire, didn't they? Though I suppose if there was anyone who stood a chance of overwhelming the Weasley heritage, it would be Fleur."

She smiled, nestling herself more closely against Ron. "It may sound strange for me to say, but having this baby... somehow makes me more confident that eventually, we'll be reunited with our friends and family again. I can't imagine a world where our children don't grow up together. Our friendships are too strong for that."

i've been saving up my moments, but now i'll spend them with you

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