Especially For You

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE BEACH OUTING

It was a perfect day. The sun was shining in the sky while the warm breeze hit his face. All he could hear are the waves, birds and the voices of his loved ones. He closed his eyes and then took a deep breath, savouring the moment.

`Smells good, Chef Ron,´ interrupted Fred, peeping over Ron´s shoulder to check his barbecue. `Can´t we eat it yet, baby brother?´

`Fred?´ said Ron. He looked around and then shouted, `Angelina?! Fred´s bothering me again!´ once he spotted his sister-in-law who was building sand castle with their one year old son, Lynden.

`Leave him alone, Fred,´ said Angelina nonchalantly.

`I was just merely checking if it´s ready,´ he mumbled and then sat beside Fleur. Ron just bit his lips to keep himself from laughing.

`Fred,´ interrupted the very pregnant Fleur while licking her ice cream. `Leave ze barbecue and Ron alon. We will tell you if itz ready.´ Fred rolled his eyes while Fleur slowly walked closer to Ron and started checking out the barbecue as well.

`Come on,´ said Bill to Fred, his eyebrows going up and down. `Don´t disturb him. Everything has to be perfect. Hermione will be here, remember?´ A devious grin appeared on Fred´s face.

`It´s not bloody ready yet, Fred,´ said Ron when he felt someone walking towards him, rolling his eyes.

`Cool it, youngezt brozzer-in-law,´ she said. `It´z me.´

`Oh, sorry Fleur.´ He looked at her and then grinned.

`Zo, what time will Hermione arrive here? Do you no?´ she asked, trying to keep herself from grinning.

`As a matter of fact, they should be here,´ he replied, looking at his watch. `I wonder where they are---´

`Calm down baby brother,´ said Bill, standing on his left side, and then grinned cheekily. `Your little family will be here.´ They all chuckled while Ron blushed.

`And speaking of your sweetheart,´ said Fred, standing on his right side and smirking. `Here she is, with little Jackie and Cheska.´ They all waved at them. All of his brothers looked at each other and smirked. Ron began to turn around.

`Don´t you think that she looks rather nice, Bill?´ asked Fred in a very low whisper.

Ron lowered his sunglasses with his finger. Hermione was wearing a white spaghetti strapped dress, which goes down just above here knees, and baby blue flip-flops with a baby blue beach bag and baby bag. She was holding the children, who were in identical bathing suits. The other one is wearing pink while the other one wore a violet. They looked extremely cute. He smiled.

`She sure does,´ replied the oldest Weasley brother. `Don´t you think, Ron?´

Ron didn´t answer because he was too busy looking at the people who just arrived.

Hermione leaned down to her kids and then whispered, `You wave at daddy.´

`Daddy,´ called the children, waving at him excitedly, which made Ron´s smile even wider.

`You zould wave buck, you no,´ suggested Fleur, grinning at Ron. `And you look a bit ztupid with zat grin on your fez.´ Bill and Fred chuckled.

`Hey,´ said Ron, walking up to them, not minding Fleur´s comment and carrying both children. `Missed you.´ He looked at Hermione. `How are you? I actually thought that you weren´t coming. Just so you know, I´m so glad that you are here.´

All the Weasley´s and their friends gathered and then watched them.

Hermione smiled. `I wouldn´t miss it for the world. Did you know that Jackie and Cheska wanted to sleep in their bathing suits last night?´ Why did he have to say sweet things to her?! Why does he have to be so cute?

`You did?´ said Ron to his children and then looked at Hermione again. `I prepared your favourite.´

`You did?´ she asked. `Aww... that is so sweet. Thank you.´

Ron chuckled and then grabbed her hand. `Let´s---´ but stopped when he saw all his relatives and friends looking at the two of them with teasing smile on their faces.

`Why are they looking at us?´ asked Hermione even though she knew, very well, why.

`I don´t know,´ he replied, shaking his head. `They´re mental.´

`That´s odd---´

`Why the bloody hell do you look like that?´ asked Ron while he and Hermione walked towards the huge picnic table where everybody was.

`Nothing, nothing, nothing...´ they all said.

Ron glared at all of them before looking at Hermione again. `Have they seen my parents?´

`Yes,´ said Hermione, taking Cheska from Ron. `I went upstairs first before going here.´

`Good.´ He noticed everybody looking at them again. `What?!´

`Nothing,´ said Ginny, smirking. `Nice to see you Hermione!´

`Nice to see you all too!´ she greeted. `Is this Louis? Gosh! You´ve grown!´ Charlie´s son beamed.

`My daddy said that if I drink milk, I´ll be taller in no time.´

`Good thing you are here,´ said Fred leaning on the table when Ron walked towards the cooking barbecue. `Ron wouldn´t let us eat unless you are here---´ They all chuckled.

`Let´s eat!´ called Ron and then placed the barbecues on their plates.

`Thank God!´ they all said. `Ron was starving us to death because you aren´t here yet---´

`Hahaha,´ said Ron. `Very funny.´

`Bill,´ said Fleur, leaning her head on his shoulder and looking up to him. `I want crab and shrimp too.´

`OK,´ said Bill and he grabbed a whole crab, took its flesh and gave it to her, before peeling the shrimps and handing it to her as well.

`Harry,´ said Ginny, `I want crab too.´

`OK,´ said Harry and he did the same thing. A few seconds later, Fred, Percy, George, and Charlie were doing the same thing.

Hermione looked at everybody and she knew that she wanted crab but... It looked so delicious and... `Harry,´ she said finally. Both Ginny and Harry looked at her. `Do you mind?´

`As a matter of fact,´ replied Harry, hiding his smile. `I do.´ He looked at Ron who was peeling some shrimps for Jackie and Cheska.

`Please?´ She would have asked Draco but he´s too far.

`No.´ He smiled. `Ron, Hermione wants crab.´

Hermione gave him a hard nudge on his chest and then said, `I don´t.´

`You do.´ Harry looked at Ron. `Would you mind if you peel some for her?´

`No,´ replied Ron. He looked at Hermione and then grinned. `It´s OK, Hermione.´

`Thanks,´ she said, blushing a little while Ron started giving her crabmeat. Good thing that she was sitting down. She can´t believe it that Ron can still make her weak in the knees.

`You still don´t know how? Didn´t I teach you already?´ asked Ron, grinning at her.

`I just---´ She can´t seem to find her words too! Oh no...

`I see,´ said Ron. `You just don´t want to get your hands dirty. Same old Hermione Granger---´

`No---´

`Her face is red daddy,´ said Charlie´s six-year-old son, Louis. Everybody looked at Hermione.

`I can´t believe it,´ said Draco. `Ron still makes you blush? After all these years?´

`It´s the sun,´ said Hermione, which made them all chuckle a little. Don´t blush!

`Right,´ said Harry, which made Hermione glare at him. `Of course.´

`It´s the sun,´ added Draco.

`Stop, it!´ she mouthed. Ron couldn´t help but smile.

`Who are you?´ interrupted the little boy, again.

`Oh,´ said Hermione, `I´m---´

`Don´t you remember her anymore?´ asked Ron.

`No,´ said the little boy. `Is she your new girlfriend?´

`Ah,´ said Ron, `No.´

`No,´ said Hermione as well. `I´m a---.´

`Was,´ said Charlie to his son, grinning at Ron and Hermione. `Was his girlfriend, Louis.´

`OK,´ he replied, before playing. `I like her.´

`Yeah, we all like Hermione,´ said George. `Don´t we? Hermione---Ron´s childhood sweetheart.´

`Oh yes,´ said all the Weasleys which made Hermione laugh.

`I´m so glad that you all do,´ replied Hermione, drinking all the water in her glass in one gulp. They smiled.

`By the way, The Wizarding World Magazine,´ said Angelina grabbing her copy and flipping it to Ron´s article. `Made a mistake.´ She showed everybody the article, which included a picture of Ron riding on a broomstick and blocking the hoop waving at his fans, shyly.

`Hmm?´ asked Ron. `What do you mean?´

`They are making it sound as if Oliver was the English Team´s first choice,´ said Ginny. `He wasn´t. He told me himself that he owes Ron his life for refusing the Keeper´s position.´

`You refused?´ asked Hermione. `Oliver wasn´t first choice?´

`No,´ said Fleur. `It was Ron.´

`Ron? You were their first choice,´ asked Hermione. `Why didn´t you say yes? Wow, that´s amazing. Really amazing.´

Ron couldn´t help but smile at Hermione´s reaction. It made him feel good that he impresses her. `Well, I wanted to join them,´ he said, `but I changed my mind.´

`Why?´

`I loved Quidditch but I didn´t see myself doing that all my life,´ said Ron, taking a bite from his barbecue. `Quidditch is my hobby and I´m also doing it to earn extra money. Yes, it gives you so much money but takes all your time as well. I can´t go to school and do Quidditch at the same time. I´ll die.´

`Great Merlin!´ said Harry, `when Ron was our Keeper, we were bloody unbeatable. We won every game just like that!´ He snapped his fingers in excitement.

`I know and he never goes anywhere without being distinguished,´ added Draco, `up to now.´

`Any more barbecue?´ asked Ron changing the subject.

`So you go to medical school and a model too,´ said Hermione in amazement.

`Yeah, but I model to support myself through school. Medical school is bloody expensive.´

`That´s good,´ said Hermione, `I really thought that you wanted to be a Quidditch player, you know.´

`I did,´ said Ron and then they both laughed. `But things change.´

Hermione smiled and then he felt someone grab her bag. It was Jackie.

`Mummy, coco fwog.´ Hermione reached for her bag and then gave her a box of chocolate frog and sugar quill. She smoothed her daughter´s pigtails before letting her play again. She looked at her witch nanny. `Jill, there´s five frogs in that box. Only give her one, OK?´ The nanny nodded.

`You really look like a mum,´ observed Alicia.

`What?´ she said, looking at Alicia. `Of course I do. I am a mummy and I am proud of it.´

`There´z only one way to find out,´ suggested Fleur. `What´s inside your bag?´

Hermione looked inside her bag. `I have ice cream, not melting because of a spell, sugar quill, chocolate frog, baby wipes, baby comb, baby cologne, baby powder and oh two teddy bears that I enlarge when needed.´ Fleur laughed.

`I know!´ said Angelina, laughing. `Before all I have in here are my stuffs and Fred´s wallet but now I have all these strange things...´

`Funny, huh,´ said Hermione. She felt another tug again and it was Cheska. `Hmm?´ The baby just climbed on her lap and then rested her head on Hermione´s chest.

Ron rubbed her back. `Sleepy?´

Hermione reached for her bag and then gave her daughter her milk bottle. She placed her arm around her daughter, shaking her slightly while Ron just watched, looking very amazed. Hermione looked very natural.

`Oh yes,´ said Angelina.

`Anyway,´ said Penelope, `we want to know all the details.´

`Of what?´

`When did you find out about Cheska and Jackie?´

`Well,´ she began. `I started feeling strange early September. Ron had to cancel our anniversary celebration because of that. Anyway, I found out the night they were celebrating when they won their match against Hufflepuffs, I think? Ron was there, screaming at the top of his lungs while I felt like throwing up. Draco saw me that night and helped me. When Harry saw me with him, they almost killed each other!´

`I know,´ said Draco. `Potter is a war freak.´

`Anyway,´ said Harry. `That was the time when she became addicted to odd foods and sleep.´

`Oh yes!´ exclaimed Ron. `That was the time when you would often ask me to go to Hogsmead and buy grass flavoured beans and fizzing whizbees!´

`Mate,´ said Draco, `don´t forget muffins and ketchup!´

`And apple with soy sauce and syrup!´ said Harry and they all laughed.

`Eeow,´ said Ron. `I was like Whatever do you need the ketchup for, Hermione? You are not eating it with the apple too, are you? And she was like No. That is so disgusting! And then began spreading it over her pancake and toast and muffin! She even offered me some! I nearly threw up in front of her!´

`What can I do? That´s what I felt like eating,´ said Hermione defensively.

`Anyway, I told Ron to keep an eye on you. Because sooner or later he might be dating a whale!´ said Harry and then looked at Ron sideways. `Guess what his reply was!´ Ron looked at him curiously and then frowned. `This was what he said and what he did: You are an idiot, Harry! And then he looked at Hermione´s face and then said, I´d still feel the same for her even if she increases her weight ten times.´ They all laughed while Hermione blushed. Bill, Fred and George began making hooting sounds.

`Did I say that?´ said Ron.

`Don´t lie, Ron.´ They all began laughing again. `Liars go to hell.´

`It´s so nice to see you two together again,´ said Percy, looking at the two of them. `Just like the old times. My Ron and My Own is sitting together. Can you believe that?´

`Yeah,´ said Ron and Hermione uncomfortably, upon hearing their old nicknames for each other. `Yeah.´

`Fred and Angelina are married. So are Bill and Fleur and Percy and Penelope,´ said Hermione, changing the topic.

`I know,´ said Harry. `Before, Fleur was just peeping over her mother´s shoulder to take a glimpse of Bill and now they are married!´

`Yeah,´ said Bill arrogantly. `Fleur fancied me. A veela fancied me!´ Fleur grinned.

`By the way,´ said George, looking at Alicia. `Speaking of who´s married to whom, Alicia and I---´

`Oh my gosh!´ exclaimed Angelina and Ginny.

`Yes,´ continued George, `we are getting married February of next year. That makes Ron the only Weasley Bachelor.´

Everybody congratulated them.

`Can you see a pattern?´ asked Alicia, George´s fiancée. `All of us girls that the Weasley´s are with or dated are all smart!´

`Oh yes!´ said Penelope. `But my Percy is smart.´

`So is my Bill,´ added Fleur.

`I´m smart,´ said Angelina. `Davina is as well, and oh---´

`We all know that Hermione is so smart,´ they all said in unison which made her laugh.

`So how does it feel like having twins?´ asked Davina. `Hard?´

`It´s fine when you get used to it,´ said Hermione. `But at first I did not know what to do and I was stressed out. I was only 17 and I am an only child. It was a huge adjustment for me. My mother even told me that I don´t have to wake up and just let the nanny take care of them but I refused. I heard a saying that if the mother isn´t the one who nursed her child, the child will not be close to her. I don´t want that to happen. They are all I have.´

Ron smiled and stared at her.

`But when I heard that they are going to be twins, I couldn´t help but wish that the other one would be a boy,´ said Hermione. `At least I have both already, right? But girls are fine with me too.´

`Oh so Hermione wants a son?´ said Draco and then smirked. `Why not talk to Ron about that matter?´

Ron looked at him and then to Hermione and then frowned.

`Perhaps you two can make another one and this will be a boy,´ continued Draco.

Suddenly, Hermione felt that Draco wasn´t too far anymore that her feet reached his shin and then glared at him.

`Don´t kick me, Hermione,´ said Draco, laughing while giving Harry a high-five. Ron actually laughed, too.

`If Cheska and Jackie are made in Hogwarts,´ said Blaise, `maybe the new one will be made in here!´ They all laughed again. Hermione just turned scarlet.

`They are not made in Hogwarts,´ said Hermione.

`Where?´ they all asked.

`The Burrow,´ said Ron. `The first and one and only time we did it and we got Cheska and Jackie.´

`The Burrow?!´ they all exclaimed. `No way!´

`That is bloody funny!´ said Bill. `Ron and Hermione at the Burrow?!´

`He sure is a sharp shooter!´ said George.

Draco stood up and then gave George a high-five. `That´s what I bloody said!´

`Anyway,´ said Angelina, calming herself down. `So did you date at all?´

`Date? Me?´ said Hermione, looking at her as if she is insane. `No. I don´t have time. I´m happy with Cheska and Jackie. We go on dates all the time.´

`No? Not even once?´ asked Alicia. `You are pretty. I´m sure that quite a number of men would ask you out.´

`Never,´ she said again. `I´ve been asked but I told them that my children are my priority. I just can´t think of dating other men. Besides, some girls have already named me as a promiscuous woman.´

`Who would say that about you?´ said Ron, looking serious. She can´t think of dating other men?

`But I just don´t mind them,´ said Hermione. `Draco and Harry visit me in the office quite often. They probably just envy me because of that. Hello? It´s Ferrari and Piaget watch Boy.´

`Those people are dumb,´ said Ron. `I hate people who spread rumors about other people. Why don´t they just go and jump off a building---´

`Oh, Oh,´ said Blaise, `don´t they mess with Ron´s girl---´ Hermione blushed once again.

`How about you, Ron?´ asked Bill. `How many did you date, after Hermione?´

`What?´ said Ron.

`Hello?´ said Blaise. `Ron is included in the most gorgeous guys in both Muggle and Wizarding world. He dated too many girls and he doesn´t have a clue on how many exactly.´ They all chuckled.

`It´s way easier for him to state the parts of the heart or path of the blood than tell us the number of the girls that he dated!´ said George.

`What?´ said Ron again.

`Well, Ron had loads of girlfriends but Hermione was the longest,´ said Harry.

`Ohhhhhhhhhhh,´ said everybody, which made Ron and Hermione chuckle, both shaking their heads.

`Don´t you think it´s fate,´ said Ginny, smiling at the two of them sitting together and laughing together. `Draco and Harry did everything to keep them from seeing each other but they still did. Not only that, they saw each other when Ron and Padma broke up?! What a coincidence---´

`It´s as if it was meant to be,´ said Blaise, grinning.

`Oh Great Merlin,´ said Ron, looking at the sky. `Are you getting this Hermione?´

`I´m afraid so,´ said Hermione, her face the colour of his hair.

`Anyway, Draco and I got you two, Cheska and Jackie something,´ said Harry. He took out two rectangle boxes and then handed it to Hermione and Ron.

`If you two don´t like it,´ said Draco. `I´m sure that Cheska and Jackie will. Go on and open it.´

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and then bowed to open the gifts. What they both saw is a picture frame with their pictures in it when they were still at Hogwarts. The central and biggest picture was a picture of them with Ron on Hermione´s back and his arms on her waist while Hermione leaned on his chest. A solo picture of Hermione was on the right and a solo picture of Ron was on the left. Below it was a picture of them holding hands, Hermione riding on his back, and playing in the snow. Above it was a picture of them, Hermione was sitting on his lap, Hermione wiping his face and Ron kissing her cheek.

`It´s not just that,´ added Ginny, `if you press this red heart button on the back, No One Else Comes Close will play.´

`You know,´ said Harry. `Your theme song.´

They both didn´t know what to say but what they both didn´t know is that they both liked it.

Fortunately for Hermione, Jackie grabbed her arm and she was yawning. `I´m so sorry,´ said Hermione, `I think that I´ll just go upstairs and bring them to bed. They must be really tired for playing all day long.´

`Yes, of course,´ said everyone. `Ron, why don´t you assist Hermione to their bedroom.´

`Uhh,´ said Ron, not knowing what to do. `Yes.´ He lifted Jackie into his arms.

`Nah you can stay here,´ said Hermione. `I can---´

`I insist,´ said Ron, grinning at her.

Hermione could never ever refuse that look. She inwardly sighed, upon realizing that he still has this power over her. `Alright then,´ she said, `if you insist.´

`Oh he definitely insists,´ said Draco, smirking.

They both walked away with their daughters in their arms. Everybody just stared at them, grinning.

`So,´ said Blaise. `Will they get back together? Yes or No?´

`Place your bets over here!´ said George and Fred, winking. Everybody laughed.

THIRTY MINUTES LATER...

`He´s not coming back---´ said Harry, looking excited. They all laughed again.

`I wonder what they are doing....´ said Ginny, grinning and then they laughed again.

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