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Hermione came home late. Too late. She always tried to be home for the bedtime routine: brushing teeth and reading a bedtime story. All the books said it was important to maintain a routine, and reading at bedtime was not just bonding but also increased reading comprehension and instilled an appreciation for learning.
But this week, Hermione had been working on a new piece of difficult legislation—Equal Pay for Elves—and had stayed late at the office well past bedtime. Last night, even Ron was asleep by the time she got home, which set a huge sense of failure in the pit of her stomach.
She was clearly failing at being a good mother.
But as she climbed the dark stairs, she was surprised to see a light peeking from under the doorway of the hall bath. When she approached, she heard some soft murmuring.
“You have really cute freckles,” Ron said in a soothing tone on the other side of the door.
Hermione gently knocked and opened the door.
Rose was standing in the middle of the bathroom, her face red and puffy from crying. Her arms were stretched out, covered in colorful patterns. Various potion bottles were open on the counter, and Ron held a hand towel in his hand, running it up and down Rose’s arms, attempting to wipe the colorful stains off.
“What’s going on here? Why aren’t you in bed?” Hermione asked.
“Mummy!” Rose cried and pulled herself from Ron’s grasp to give Hermione a hug. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to, and Daddy’s been helping take it off, but it won’t come off, and I made everything so much worse.” Rose hiccuped into Hermione’s robes, leaving tear stains and globs of mucus on the silk as Hermione knelt down to look Rose in the eye.
“What’s going on? What did you mess up?”
“Jamie said my freckles made me look dirty.”
“Which I said was stupid,” Ron interrupted, leaning on the sink with the towel now over his shoulder, “because the kid has just as many freckles as you. This whole family is spotted.”
Rose shook her head. “Not Mummy.”
Hermione pushed a bit of Rose’s hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. “No, I don’t have freckles, but you do, and they are very lovely.”
“Yeah, next time Jamie says something, just push him in the mud.” Hermione did her best to suppress a chuckle at Ron’s helpful suggestion.
“And the marks on your arms? You were trying to cover up your freckles?”
“I didn’t mean to.” Rose wiped her nose on the sleeve of her pajamas.
“A bit of accidental magic, that is,” Ron nodded toward their daughter’s arms. “I’ve been trying to get it off, but nothing is working.”
“That’s okay,” Hermione hugged Rose again and rubbed her back. “Your new tattoos suit you well, Rosie, but we’ll find a way to remove them. Accidental magic can always be reversed. Why don’t you go down to the kitchen, and we can look through my books together, and Daddy can make us some hot chocolate?”
Rose nodded solemnly and left the bathroom, slightly sniffling as she made her way out of the room.
Hermione stood up again and faced Ron, who was smiling endearingly at her. “What?” Hermione asked as Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him.
“You are a very good mum, you know?”
“No, I’m not. I can’t even manage to get home in time for the bed routine.”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re still an amazing mum.” Ron kissed the side of her head as they made their way out into the hall.