Chapter Text
“Dad?”
Harry cracked an eye open, the tiny whisper waking him up, the voice as familiar to him as his own. There was a lone sliver of light shining into the bedroom from the hallway. Ron had apparently been up to tend to the twins, forgetting to close the door, which had allowed their oldest to sneak in.
“Herbert?” The question was rhetorical, Harry recognising him instantly, even without his glasses. The little boy was standing next to the bed, small sniffles coming from him, his dark hair a curly mess. “Is everything okay?”
Harry kept his voice low, whispering in the hopes that he wouldn’t wake either Ron or Hermione. He didn’t even need to look to know how they were cuddled up. Hermione would be curled on her side, safe in the middle of the bed, Ron molded to her back, his face hidden in her hair.
“I had’a nightmare.” Herbert dried his nose with the sleeve of his sky blue pajamas.
“Come here.” Harry lifted his blanket, scooting backwards ever so slightly, making space, Ron grunting at the movement of the mattresses, his soft snoring continuing. Herbert crawled under the covers like a small animal burrowing down for the winter, cuddling up to Harry’s chest, shoving his face into his neck.
“Dad?”
“Mmh?” Harry knew he should probably try to get Herbert to sleep as quick as he could, Hermione needing to be at her best, the elder pricks at the Wizengamot still sore about a muggleborn woman being their Minister of Magic.
“I didn’t really have a nightmare.”
“You didn’t?” Harry gently stroked up and down Herberts back. He had been so afraid when he was born, hadn’t even dared touch him or hold him until Ron had put him into his arms, and then, he’d never wanted to let go ever again.
“I don’t wanna go to school tomorrow.” Herbert whispered, the tremble in his voice betraying how he felt.
Harry didn’t know what to expect when Herbert had started muggle primary.
It had been a massive row between Hermione and Ron when the subject of school came up. Ron had insisted on the wizard way, that home schooling or tutors was fine, that it’d only be confusing and unfair to expect Herbert to keep his magic hidden.
Hermione had disagreed, and while Harry had kept well out of the first few rounds of that particular argument, he knew Hermione was right.
There were so many subjects Ron knew nothing about, his understanding of math, geography, biology and science practically nonexistent, not to mention muggle history.
Harry had never been great in school, always keeping himself at least a grade behind Dudley, but Ron was truly abysmal.
Also, there was the issue of Herbert himself.
He had been ecstatic on his first days of school, beyond excited at the prospect of learning and meeting so many new kids. He had always taken like a fish to water to Hermione teaching him letters and numbers, the two of them making their way through muggle workbooks before he had even started school.
“I wanna go back to Grandma.”
Harry had to bite his cheek not to smile, the request so utterly innocent. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly when Molly Weasley had started to run the grandkid daycare, but it made perfect sense.
The burrow seemed to have been made to be overrun by children, Molly never more at home and never more herself than when she was surrounded by little ones.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” Herbert looked up, surprise in his voice, clearly not expecting his dad to fold so easily.
“Yes, you can go to Grandma. If that’s what you truly want.” Harry continued the gentle strokes. “I’m sure she’d love to have you back.”
Molly wouldn’t just be overjoyed, she’d probably start weeping, the vast sea of his mother in law’s emotions, something Harry was still learning to navigate.
“You’ll start Hogwarts eventually.”
Herbeth was quiet, his small feet moving against Harry's thigh as he was thinking. “Can we wait and tell her tomorrow?”
“Of course.” Harry put his arm around Herbert, pulling him close, his son giving a small sigh, before cuddling in. He knew Herbert wouldn’t ask tomorrow, that he’d be waiting by the door for Ron to take him to school in the car, but that didn’t need to be said.
He closed his eyes, hoping that he could get at least a little more sleep, when he felt a hand against his shoulder blade, Hermione gently caressing his back in a silent thank you.