A Father's Observations (PG)
Title: A Father's Observations
Prompt: "When you're a kid, they tell you it's all 'Grow up. Get a job. Get married. Get a house. Have a kid. And that's it.' But the truth is, the world is so much stranger than that. It's so much darker. And so much madder. And so much better."
Rating: PG
Word Count: 497
Summary: Arthur watches Ron and Hermione
A/N: Yet another one I wrote for rwhg_ldws and didn't submit.
Hermione’s chasing a soaking wet Ron through the garden in an attempt to retrieve her wand. I’m not sure what he did to deserve having the aguamenti she sent his way before he took her wand, but Hermione doesn’t seem all that angry at him anymore.
In fact, their laughter reaches all the way to the house, where I’m watching them from the kitchen.
It’s good to hear laughter at the Burrow again. Especially from Ron and Hermione.
It’s wonderful to have them home, to have them healthy ... and together.
I don’t know all the details of what they experienced this past year, but I do know that Ron is profoundly changed; there’s an underlying calm, a quiet confidence I feared I’d never see in him.
I know Hermione played an important part in my son’s evolution and I’m eternally grateful to her. Whatever darkness they have faced, they’ve grown stronger for it.
It’s funny how they remind me of me and Molly ... and not just the bickering. I wish them all the happiness and love we have shared - without the pain and loss.
There are many things I wish for all my children. From the time they are small, kids are told, ‘Grow up. Get a job. Get married. Get a house. Have a kid.’ And that's it, as if that’s the secret to life. But the truth is, the world is so much stranger than that. It's so much darker, and so much madder ... and so much better.
There’s so much more to life than some arbitrary checklist; it’s complicated and chaotic and messy, but that’s what makes it worth living. I hope my children understand it’s not achieving the milestones set by others that define you, but rather the journey you take in reaching for them that does.
Hopefully Molly and I have taught by example. We’ve tried to show them: grow up but maintain a sense of wonder at the world; having a job isn’t enough, find a passion in life; don’t just get married, seek true love; don’t settle for getting a house, but rather build a home; and don’t just have children, love and nurture a family.
Hermione appears to have caught Ron now, or maybe it’s the other way around.
As I watch how easily he lifts her off the ground and spins her around, I’m reminded once again of Ron’s transformation from boy to man. I realize he’s well on his way to a good life, for he has clearly found true love. They may be young, but they have seen the darkness and madness in the world first hand and they’ve clearly learned to appreciate life, and each other, because of it.
Ron’s gathering Hermione for a kiss now ... a rather passionate one at that. Oh my!
That's a good girl, move his hand ... not there!
I hope Molly doesn’t spot them. Perhaps I should intervene?
I’ll give them a few more minutes ... then I’ll send Ginny out.
Prompt: "When you're a kid, they tell you it's all 'Grow up. Get a job. Get married. Get a house. Have a kid. And that's it.' But the truth is, the world is so much stranger than that. It's so much darker. And so much madder. And so much better."
Rating: PG
Word Count: 497
Summary: Arthur watches Ron and Hermione
A/N: Yet another one I wrote for rwhg_ldws and didn't submit.
Hermione’s chasing a soaking wet Ron through the garden in an attempt to retrieve her wand. I’m not sure what he did to deserve having the aguamenti she sent his way before he took her wand, but Hermione doesn’t seem all that angry at him anymore.
In fact, their laughter reaches all the way to the house, where I’m watching them from the kitchen.
It’s good to hear laughter at the Burrow again. Especially from Ron and Hermione.
It’s wonderful to have them home, to have them healthy ... and together.
I don’t know all the details of what they experienced this past year, but I do know that Ron is profoundly changed; there’s an underlying calm, a quiet confidence I feared I’d never see in him.
I know Hermione played an important part in my son’s evolution and I’m eternally grateful to her. Whatever darkness they have faced, they’ve grown stronger for it.
It’s funny how they remind me of me and Molly ... and not just the bickering. I wish them all the happiness and love we have shared - without the pain and loss.
There are many things I wish for all my children. From the time they are small, kids are told, ‘Grow up. Get a job. Get married. Get a house. Have a kid.’ And that's it, as if that’s the secret to life. But the truth is, the world is so much stranger than that. It's so much darker, and so much madder ... and so much better.
There’s so much more to life than some arbitrary checklist; it’s complicated and chaotic and messy, but that’s what makes it worth living. I hope my children understand it’s not achieving the milestones set by others that define you, but rather the journey you take in reaching for them that does.
Hopefully Molly and I have taught by example. We’ve tried to show them: grow up but maintain a sense of wonder at the world; having a job isn’t enough, find a passion in life; don’t just get married, seek true love; don’t settle for getting a house, but rather build a home; and don’t just have children, love and nurture a family.
Hermione appears to have caught Ron now, or maybe it’s the other way around.
As I watch how easily he lifts her off the ground and spins her around, I’m reminded once again of Ron’s transformation from boy to man. I realize he’s well on his way to a good life, for he has clearly found true love. They may be young, but they have seen the darkness and madness in the world first hand and they’ve clearly learned to appreciate life, and each other, because of it.
Ron’s gathering Hermione for a kiss now ... a rather passionate one at that. Oh my!
That's a good girl, move his hand ... not there!
I hope Molly doesn’t spot them. Perhaps I should intervene?
I’ll give them a few more minutes ... then I’ll send Ginny out.