The Talk

“The Talk”

By: FayeValentine00

Ron sat in the kitchen of Harry and Hermiones' flat in Muggle London that the couple had owned ever since they'd had their first child ten years earlier. They'd decided that raising their children further away from the wizarding world would cut back on the media exposure of their children. Although it'd seemed like a good idea in the beginning, the wizarding media still followed them everywhere. The Potter family was news to them and privacy wasn't allowed. The only thing that had changed when they'd moved was that they'd had to commute further to work and further to see their friends.

Due to their busy schedules and their families, Harry and Hermione didn't get to see Ron as much as they'd have liked to. Today was one of the rare occasions that they'd all been free so the trio was once again reunited for a bit of gossip.

“It's really a shame that Luna couldn't come today, Ron. I'd have loved to see her and the kids,” Hermione said, flashing the red-haired man a smile.

“Well, she wanted to come but Jake was dying to get his school things at Diagon Alley. Luna finally just gave in so he'd stop begging.”

Jake was Ron and Lunas' oldest child. He was only 3 weeks older than Harry and Hermiones' daughter, Lily. They would both set to be starting Hogwarts in two weeks but it was a bitter sweet topic for all of the parents involved.

Harry rolled his eyes and gave Ron an understanding look. “Tell me about it. If Lily mentions going there one more time then I'm going to buy the things without her.”

“You will not!” Hermione said slapping her husband playfully on the arm. “If you do that then I'll be stuck taking her there on my own. We're in this together, like it or not.”

All three of the trio burst into laughter at that remark but stopped abruptly when a cute ten-year-old girl walked in the room. She had brown hair that was slightly bushy and brilliant green eyes. It was obvious that she was a perfect mixture of her parents.

“Did I hear my name?” Lily said as she ran over to give her “uncle” a hug.

“Aren't you supposed to be watching your sister and brother?” Hermione asked, referring to their other children, Jason, age 7 and Ashley, age 5.

“They're both asleep and I heard Uncle Ron so I just wanted to say hi,” she answered with the adorable pout that Harry could never say no to.

“It's good to see you, sweetheart. You're getting so big. Jake won't be able to recognize you at the train,” Ron said with a wink that made Lily laugh.

“Well, I certainly hope he recognizes me.”

Something about the way the little girl said those words made all of the adults exchange looks of surprise. It was that moment when Harry suddenly realized that his “little girl” wasn't so little anymore.

“Umm, Lily, can you go check on your sister again? I thought I heard her, uh… say something,” Harry ended lamely as he tried to think of a way to get her to leave so they could discuss what she'd just said.

Lily gave him a strange look because she knew that he was lying. She was just trying to figure out if it was worth putting up a fight or not. She took a glance over at Hermione just to see if her mum felt the same way. To her disappoint, Lily knew she'd lose so she didn't even try to fight. She simply nodded her head with a little pout just to make them feel bad, before going back to the “kids” room.

“What kind of kids are you raising over here?” Ron asked with a big smile on his face, knowing the expressions of surprise on his friends' faces all too well.

“Shut up!” Hermione said with a smile that she could not hold back. “I'm not exactly sure what that was about.”

“Oh, you do so! You just don't want to admit that Lily is growing up,” Ron said a little more seriously this time.

“But why Jake?” Harry finally said with a confused look on his face.

Ron opened his mouth to comment on that statement but Hermione quickly cut in. “I think he means that Lily has been friends with Jake for so long that it is just strange to think of her liking him.”

Both men nodded in understanding. They all sat around in thought wondering what to do, when Ron said the one thing that both Harry and Hermione had been avoiding. “So, which of you are going to give her `the talk?'”

“Hermione,” Harry said immediately.

“Excuse me?”

“Look Hermione, you are the smart one. You're the one who reads all those books and could explain anything so that it makes sense. It's only logical that you talk to her. She is your daughter. Besides, how am I going to explain things to a girl?”

Ron's expression was one of a child in a candy shop as he watched the couples' conversation. He'd gone through this very same thing just weeks earlier with Luna so he knew how they felt. It was finally his turn just to sit back and watch as his friends fought it out but he was already pretty sure how it would turn out.

“Harry, she is your daughter as well. I think you're just afraid and trying to dump this on me,” Hermione said with an expression that neither Harry nor Ron could understand.

“Afraid? Afraid of what?” Harry asked in a defensive tone that made Hermione smile inwardly.

“You're afraid of messing up. I didn't think I'd ever see the day that Harry Potter, the man who defeated Voldemort when he was seventeen years old, would be afraid to have a little talk with a ten year old girl.”

“I am not afraid!”

“Then prove it,” she said with a challenging smirk.

“Fine, I will!” Harry jumped up from his seat and was halfway out the door when realization washed over him. His pace slowed until he stopped at the door and turned back to Hermione with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “I can't believe you just did that.”

“Did what, Harry?” The look of utter most innocence sent Ron into loud laughter that seemed to make Harry feel even more embarrassed.

“You are going to pay for this, Hermione. Just wait.” With those final words, Harry made his way down the hall, trying to prepare himself for something that truly did scare him more then Voldemort.

He walked into the children's playroom to find things exactly as Lily had described it. Jason and Ashley were resting quietly on the bunk beds in the corner while she was busy writing in her diary. The moment she saw Harry walk in, the girl slammed the book shut and hid it in the closest drawer that she could find.

“Hi, Dad. What's wrong?”

“Why would something be wrong?” He asked the girl, unsure that he wanted to know the answer.

“You're pale. You look like you've just seen a ghost,” she said with a concerned expression on her face.

“Well, you're mum wanted me to come and talk to you for a moment.”

“Here, sit down,” Lily said as she pulled out a chair for him to sit in. At that moment, Harry couldn't help but think that his little girl was so much like Hermione. She was always concerned about everyone's well being.

Harry sat down with a grateful smile. “Thank you, sweetie.”

“So, what does Mum want you to tell me?”

Why is she looking at me like that? Harry wondered to himself when he saw a smile start to spread across his daughter's face. That was the moment that he realized that she might already know what he wanted to say.

“I … Umm … We…”

“Dad, just tell me what you want to say. It can't be that bad, can it?”

“You have no idea, Lily. Trust me,” Harry said with a half grin.

“Dad, can I help you out?” The little girl said as she reached out and gave Harry's hand a squeeze.

“Please!” Harry said letting out a sigh of relief.

“Mum tricked you into telling me about sex, right?”

Harry opened his mouth to agree when he suddenly realized that his daughter was trying to hold in giggles. “H-How did you know?”

“Dad, Mum talked to be about this two years ago!”

“Please tell me that you are joking, Lily,” Harry asked in an almost pleading voice.

“Cross my heart. Mum told me not to tell you that she'd told me. I guess now I know why. You should have seen your face.” Finally, the giggles that she'd been holding in came rolling out and she collapsed onto the floor.

Harry didn't know what to say as he watched Lily laugh at his expense. Part of him was glad that he was saved but the other part wanted revenge. “Well, I guess I need to go see your Mum now.”

Lily's green eyes were sparkling when she flashed Harry a huge grin. “Have fun!”

Harry froze a minute and watched her. “When did you get so smart?”

Lily just shrugged with another smile so Harry gave her a kiss and headed down the hall to make his wife pay.

“You already told her?” Ron nearly yelled when Hermione told him the truth.

“Shhhhhhhh! I talked to her about everything ages ago but I simply had to see Harry's face.”

“Oh Hermione, he is going to make you pay!”

The moment the words left his mouth, Harry walked into the room with a wicked expression on his face. “You are in so much trouble, Mrs. Potter.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“I think this is my queue to leave. I'll come by again soon.” Without even waiting for a response, Ron vanished with a pop.

“You told her? How could you do that to me? I thought I was going to have a heart attack!” The entire time he was talking, he was slowly advancing on his wife who continued to beam up at him from her seat.

“It was just a little joke. Surely you can't be that upset, can you?” She flashed him a smile.

“That's it!” He took the final steps to her side and scooped Hermione into his arms.

“Now what are you going to do with me?” She asked, wrapping her arms around Harry's neck.

“I think I'll just have to teach you a lesson.”

“And what kind of lesson would that be?” Hermione asked with a coy expression that made Harry's face melt into a smile.

“I think it will have to be a hands on lesson of `the talk,'” he said softly before carrying her giggling form off to their room for a bit of personal time.

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