Once a Year
Harry Potter was walking up a hill, or rather hobbling. Two years ago he had suffered a nasty spill on his broom and his old knees never healed right. So why was he venturing up a steep country hill? Well, three people he loved were waiting for him just like they were last year and for the past ten years before.
As he reached the top he saw Hermione already waiting for him on the old log they always sat on.
"Hey, sorry I'm late." he said kiss her head before sitting next to her on the log.
Hermione turned to him and said, "Can you believe it's been ten years?"
"Yes. After retirement everything seemed to slow down and just drag on." he replied.
Hermione shook her head and started walking towards the willow tree. Her hand traced over the carvings on the tree. The deep gashes read, HP+GW and HG+RW. She herself had carved these into the tree sixty years ago.
"So, how is Ron doing?" harry asked.
Hermione gave a weak smile. "After we are done here we are going to meet up with him at the party. Why not ask him when we get there."
"Because he will just give me a Ron grunt and say, 'Harry I am fine. Up fine. Well, except for the fact my vision is failing and my granddaughter's boyfriend left her up in the duff.' I just want to know the truth." he said laughingly.
"Well, he's doing alright for this time of year. He gets depressed always right around august. You use to get the same way." Harry's face hardened.
"I still get that way for about a day. Then I swear I hear Ginny's voice yelling at me to stop being a prat and to get my sorry ass off the couch and live my life." he said honestly.
Hermione smiled. "That sounds like something she would say, but if I remember correctly that is the excuse you gave about the same time of year two years ago when you crashed your broom."
Harry put on his best innocent face but failed miserably at it.
"You ready to go see Rose?" he asked.
Hermione nodded, " Yeah, are you?"
He nodded and took her hand. They then hiked down the opposite side of the hill then they climbed up. When they reached the bottom they were at the lake. Where two grave stones laid. Harry walked up to one and put his hand on the top.
"Hey Rosie Bear," he said, "Your mum, dad and I have missed you terribly, and Hugo, well he has never been the same. Your death had a huge impact on him Rosie, he lost his big sister. Though, you should be happy to know that now you are going to be a grandmother. Yeah, little Paige is going to have a baby, though Ben, the father is a real bastard. Don't worry Ron and I will hunt him down and make sure he can't reproduce again. I'd better go now so your mum can speak to you."
Hermione was at Ginny's grave as soon as she finished she headed over to Rose's. Harry then slowly walked closer to the grave, longing for it no longer to be just a grave but the woman he loved the most standing right in front of him.
"Hey Gin, it has been a hard ten years without you. The kids are doing well and well, the grandchildren are well. Actually we are going to be great grandparents. So are Ron and Hermione, Rosie's little girl is having a baby. I know at eighteen she is too young to be a mother, but must I remind you of your parents? But Gin, please forgive me when I kill Paige's boyfriend. He abandoned her, you know you would do the same. I feel like Paige needs me since she lost her favorite great aunt and her mother in the same day. That accident... Just know I miss you and that I love you. I will join you someday but for now I am needed here. Hermione and I will come together again next year. I am sorry that it became me only visiting once a year but for that first year I was always here, I just can't come more frequently. Once a year gives me time to heal. I need to know how to live life without you because I still have to live on. You are on the next great adventure and I hope that I will join you and the rest of our family soon." Harry got up and brushed the grass off of this pants.
Harry waited till Hermione was finished saying goodbye before the two walked around the hill and back towards the location where the burrow stood still after generations of Weasleys living there. When they arrived there a whole celebration was going on. The banners hanging on the ceiling read 'Happy Birthday Ginny Potter and Rose Bennett.'
This day was for those two extraordinary women who were born on August eleventh and died on August eleventh. The Weasley family would never forget them or the tragic world cup accident when a bludger rammed into a major support for one of the boxes and sent the two to their graves ten years ago.
Harry sat down in a chair near the fire and closed his eyes. It had been a long day and he had many more in front of him because as he said he had to live on. For many years he would do so taking care of his children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren. Till it was ten years later when it had been seventy years since he, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had marked that tree on the hill professing their undying love. And as it would seem they all lived pretty good lives full of love and kindness it wasn't a happily ever after but it was pretty damn close.
A/N: I know you think once a year is not enough but as a person who has lost someone who was very important to them once a year is enough. I found that if i came to often I would just break down and not be able to live life. It is a part of the healing process of being able to live your life onwards past the death and mourning.