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One of the things that Ron liked best about his job within The Department of Magical Games and Sports was that there was never an expectation that he should seek out work when his desk was clear. And with anticipations high for the upcoming World Cup, they were encouraged to take off whenever they could, spend time with their families before their workloads would increase.
Ron, never one to ignore an opportunity to visit either of his spouses, had taken full advantage of this policy. Spending long lunches with Hermione and skiving off early on Fridays to have lunch at the castle during Harry’s free period in the early afternoon.
“Hermione was right about those robes,” Ron said appreciatively from the armchair he’d planted himself in that particular spring afternoon when Harry finally let himself in. “They do make you look rather scholarly.”
Harry merely shook his head, sending the stack of scrolls he’d been carrying to his desk with a flick of his wand. Ron rose to embrace him as Harry kicked shut the door behind him.
“Tea?” Ron asked, flicking his wand to make the kettle boil and moving with familiarity over to the cupboard where Harry kept his cups and bags. Harry nodded, looking worn as he sunk into one of the cushy armchairs he’d decorated his office with. “How was class?”
“First years,” Harry sighed. “They’re finally getting a grasp on casting you know, makes them cocky.”
“Good thing we were never like that,” Ron said mockingly, earning him a grin.
“No, we thought we were brilliant at it from the start,” Harry teased.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Funny I seem to remember knowing a spell about turning your rat yellow.” Harry teased and Ron rolled his eyes. “How’d it go again? Sunshine daisies, butter yellow-“
“Shut it,” Ron said, his ears turning red. He turned back to Harry, carrying the two cups of tea and set them on the little table Harry had set up between his two armchairs. “I do wonder about that spell though, could not have worked because Scabbers wasn’t exactly a rat.”
“Or perhaps switching spells don’t usually rhyme,” Harry said mischievously, knocking their knees together as Ron sat himself back down. He gave his thanks as he picked up the mug Ron had prepared for him. “Did you have to go in today?”
Ron shook his head. “Nah, half the office is at the Falcons match and the other half are supervising tryouts for the national team.”
“Any word on who’s going to make it?” Harry asked.
“No, but Jellison is still out on a head injury so our chances of having a decent keeper are slim, I doubt we even qualify.”
Harry chuckled and shook his head. “And where’s your national spirit?”
Ron snorted. “I’m spirited but not delusional. If we want to root for a national team we might as well move to China. I’d put good money on them going all the way.”
A knock at the door interrupted them and though it wasn’t particularly scandalous, Harry removed his knee from against Ron’s before calling out, “Come-in!”
“All decent in there?” Teddy’s voice asked as he pushed open the door.
He entered in with one hand over his eyes, parted so he could peek through.
“Teddy!” Harry said sternly and he grinned, removing his hand and smiling at him.
“Just don’t want any surprises,” Teddy said good-naturedly. Today his hair was a familiar red with freckles to match. “Hello Ron!”
“Hey Teddy,” Ron smiled, “How’re ya?”
“Brilliant! Did Harry tell you about what I did in Transfiguration yesterday? I was the only one who managed to perform the switching spell correctly.”
“He did!” Ron said proudly as Harry beamed at his Godson. “Brilliant you are, just like your dad.”
“McGonagall gave me ten whole points!” he said gleefully.
“Is there something we can help you with?” Harry asked knowingly when Teddy didn’t go on.
“Well,” Teddy said shyly. “I was just wondering if you’d heard anything about World Cup tickets?”
Ron shared a grin with Harry. “He’s been asking me all week,” Harry said in a low voice.
“It’s just…Garret Belby keeps going on that his family is going to be in the box with the minister. And Martha Shellstop is bragging that her uncle bought out an entire box.”
Ron chuckled. “You know they’re just bragging.”
“You don’t know Martha!” Teddy instead, “Her uncle has loads of money. She got the new Cleansweep for her birthday and spent the holiday in the states!”
“Tickets haven’t even been released yet,” Ron reminded him. “Won’t be for general sale until next month.”
“I know but, you’re going to take me right?” Teddy said, looking upset. “And I know I got to go when I was eight but by the time the next time comes around I’m going to be studying for my N.E.W.T.s and gran might not let me go!”
“It’s never too early to start studying for your N.E.W.T.s,” Harry teased.
“You sound like Hermione,” Teddy said, pulling a face. He turned back to Ron and began to beg. “Please, I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t get to see it!”
Ron pretended to think on it, drawing out the moment for as long as he could. “Well, I’m pretty sure that I asked for an extra ticket.”
He did a little dance on the spot. “Thank you, Ron!”
Ron couldn’t help but smile at him.
“But you can’t go on bragging about it.” Ron reminded him sternly. “Tickets aren’t going to be released for another month.”
“I won’t!” he smiled. “I promise.”
But Ron could sense the conversation wasn’t over.
“I know it’s a lot to ask, but do you think there’s any way you could get another ticket?”
“Another ticket?” Ron asked. He glanced over at Harry who looked just as taken back by the request.
“For Dante,” Teddy explained. “He was brought up by his mum’s family. Didn’t even know he was a wizard until he got his letter. Tell him Harry!”
Harry nodded but before he could speak, Teddy went on.
“And he’s brilliant on a broom, tell him Harry!”
Again Harry nodded but wasn’t given the chance to elaborate for Teddy, bouncing on the balls of his feet, raised his voice again.
“And if we don’t take him then he won’t even be able to go! Tell him Harry!”
“Alright,” Harry said to calm him. Teddy gave an apologetic, pleading look. “Ron’s met Dante, remember? He came and stayed over the summer.’
“I know,” Teddy said, “I’d just hate for him to miss out. And I know I could bring him a program but it just wouldn’t be the same.”
Egged on by Teddy’s appearance, Ron was reminded, horribly, of how the moment he’d learned that his family had been given tickets he’d launched a campaign to not only bring Harry but also Hermione to the game.
“No promises, but I’ll see what I can do,” Ron said, though he’d already put in a request for a couple of extra tickets. His position meant that someone he loved was bound to ask him for a ticket and he didn’t want to disappoint. “And we’ll have to get permission from Dante’s family so no running off and telling him yet.”
But Teddy, having been spoiled by them his whole life, lit up with excitement and relief. He showed no restraint this time, launching himself at Ron and giving him a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
A bell rang as Teddy, still bouncing on his feet, jumped away.
“You’d better run along,” Harry said, smiling at his Godson. “I don’t want to be hearing from Professor Longbottom that you’re late again.”
“You could write me a note,” Teddy said in a singsong voice.
“I could not,” Harry said in the same tone.
Teddy gave a dramatic sigh but not even the rejection wiped the smile from his face.
“Bye Harry, bye Ron!”
And with that he was gone, his red hair already turning back to his signature electric blue as he set off down the corridor at a run.
“When we have kids I hope they’re like him,” Ron said fondly, still gazing at the door.
Harry didn’t say anything and when Ron finally turned to look at him he was staring at Ron as if he’d grown another head.
“What?” Ron asked, patting his hair self consciously.
“Kids?”
“Well, yes, Hermione’s already made it pretty clear that she doesn’t want to have an only child.” Ron attempted to joke but the air was suddenly very uncomfortable.
“Oh,” Harry said stupidly, “Right.”
“Everything alright?” Ron asked.
“Yeah,” Harry said, but Ron knew it wasn’t so. “You think about our kids?”
“You don’t?”
“Well, sure, but I mean, in a few years,” Harry said.
“I didn’t say tomorrow,” Ron said, though the thought had been coming to him more and more often as of late. “Besides, you turn thirty in a few months and Hermione-“
“Isn’t this a conversation we should be having with her?” Harry said suddenly. “I mean, shouldn’t she get a vote?”
“We do talk about it,” Ron said, feeling a little defensive. “You’re there. Merlin Harry, over the weekend we stopped and looked at prams.”
Harry’s face went through a dozen emotions all at once. “Oh.”
“It’s not like we’re trying to get pregnant tomorrow, but-“
“Oh,” Harry said again, sinking down and lying nearly flat against his chair. Ron watched him carefully. He’d known Harry’s strongest suit wasn’t picking up on subtle clues but he’d thought they’d been explicit enough.
“Do you—“ Ron hesitated and his voice was barely above a whisper. “Not want kids?”
“I do!” Harry insisted, but his face was back to a mask of worry. “It’s just, I dunno, I thought we’d have more time.”
“Time for what?”
“I dunno,” Harry admitted after a moment of trying to think of something. “I guess I’m just worried our lives will change.”
“Well, they will,” Ron reminded him. “But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”
Harry nodded and Ron was forced to sit patiently as Harry gathered his thoughts.
“I’m sorry,” Harry said finally, blinking and looking at him. “I’m just surprised. I thought I was going to spend the afternoon staving off offers to sneak off for the afternoon, not a conversation about starting our family.”
And though it just about broke his heart, Ron felt the need to ask again. “Do you want kids?”
“I do,” Harry said instantly and this time it sounded much more sincere. “I just get worried that everything’ll be different.”
“I mean, we’ll all have to step back from our jobs a little,” Ron said. “Work on not staying late and all that, but between your summers off and my winters, I think we should be alright.”
“It’s not that,” Harry said quietly, fighting with the arm of his chair. “What if I’m a bad dad?”
“You won’t-“
“I could be!” Harry burst out. “I didn’t have a very good example growing up, did I? What if I do it all wrong?”
“Harry, you teach kids every day. Your students love you.”
“But that’s different, they’re older.”
“And,” Ron pressed on, “You helped raise Teddy.”
“We took him on the weekends and spoiled him rotten,” Harry argued. “It doesn’t mean I’m going to be any good at this.”
He sighed again and reached up to run his hands through his hair. When he pulled back he looked rather young, hair standing wild and though the conversation was serious Ron couldn’t help but swoon a little, seeing his husband look so young.
“You’re not going to mess it up,” Ron told him quietly. “No more than I will. I see you with these kids, Harry. And they’re not even yours.”
He reached over, taking Harry’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “And don’t worry. When we mess up, Hermione’ll be there to fix it for us.”
At that Harry let out a little laugh. “You know one of these days she’s going to get tired of cleaning up our messes.”
“Yeah, but hopefully we get a few more good years before she cottons on.” Ron teased.
Harry smiled over at him. “You’re going to make a great dad, Ron.”
“So will you, Harry.”
Harry was quiet for a moment, their hands still together and looked like he was thinking hard. Just as Ron was beginning to worry that they were about to go through another round of needing reassurance, Harry looked up and his smile surprised him but not nearly as much as the question that followed.
“So, have you thought about what you’d like to be called?”