She stands alone in the middle of a field at night. Through the air she can hear people crying out for their loved ones. There are tears of joy and tears of sorrow. It is all over. She looks up to the sky and feels the rain drops tickle her face. The rain mixes with her tears as she looks around, all alone. Towards the sky, she lifts her head again but instead of rain, white rose petals face on her tear-stained cheeks. She closes her weary eyes and breaths in the sweet aroma of the flowers. She opens her eyes. No longer on the empty battle field, she is at a wedding. Her wedding. She stands on a cliff over looking the sea, dressed in white. Waiting. Looking down at her bouquet she sees white roses and watches as the petals pull away from the bud when she dropped the flowers into the ocean below. Again she looks around but she is alone. She steps close to the edge of the cliff, smelling the sea air, longing to be part of something again. She closes her eyes once more before she hears her named called from behind her. Quickly she turns, anxious to see the face of the speaker. She slips on the wet gravel. As she falls, she sees the tell-tale red hair of her lover. He had come back to her.
Hermione woke up with a start. She always woke up at the same point of the dream she had been having for over a year now. She could feel her pounding heart and reached up to feel her cheeks, wet from her tears. She sat up in bed and shock her head as if to get away from the memory of the dream. It was getting harder every day just to get out of bed. Hermione can hear the bustle of life below and gets out of bed and walks to the bathroom. As she splashes water on her face she feels the metal of the ring she wears on her right hand cold against her skin. It wasn't a wedding ring or even an engagement ring but a promise ring that he had given her before the final battle. Ron had promised to always come back to her and Hermione had promised to always wait for him.
Hermione tried not to let herself think about the night before the final battle. It was too hard for her to relive the happy times. She had been staying at the burrow and her and Ron had been together for the better part of a year. They had been through so much together and were madly in love. Hermione smiled as she remember how her and Ron would sit up all night talking about their dreams and their futures. They dreamt about what their lives would be like together after they had started their careers and had finally gotten married. Hermione remembered how Ron had pulled her aside after everyone else had headed off to bed that faithful night. She could picture every flicker of light in his eyes and how his hair hung too far into his face. He had taken her right hand and slipped the ring on it. Ron told her that the ring was a promise that they would always be together and she was to leave it on until he was able to replace it with one on her left hand. Hermione cried and kissed Ron and told him that she would wait for him till the end of eternity. That she would always be his.
The final battle went on for hours. Harry, Hermione and Ron had tried to stay together in order to protect each other but that didn't last long. Each became preoccupied with the battle engaged around them and soon the trio had set off in three different directions. Most of the night was a blur to Hermione. She still hears the screams whenever she is alone in a room. She remembers seeing people falling all around her but was to busy casting spells to see who they were. Hermione can clearly remember the turning point of the fight. Silence fell across the field. She watched Harry fall in slow motion. She heard the thud as his body hit the ground. She heard the cold laugh of her enemy. Hermione felt her blood boil as Voldemort stepped closer to Harry with his wand raised to finish the job. Harry staggered to his feet, hunched over, knowing that if he were to die he was going to die fighting like a man. The simple action brought forward a moment of clarity for many on the battle field. People rushed to Harry from all sides. With Ron on his left side and Hermione on his right, Harry managed to gather the last of his strength and kill Voldemort. Harry's ability to love had saved him after all. The Love for Harry had finally brought the Wizarding World together as one and as one they defeated the darkest wizard of all time.
After Voldemort had fallen there was mass confusion. Death Eaters were running in all directions in order to avoid detection. Many people were celebrating the end of the war. Harry, Ron, Hermione, along with most of the order, began hunting down know death eaters. A battle broke out at the edge of the field. Bruised and broken, Hermione began to fight again, taking down death eater after death eater. In her heart she knew that it was almost over. Soon she would be able to begin her life with Ron. The darkness was broken by the light of the many curses being used and it was by the light of one of these curses that she saw her love for the last time.
Hermione had woken up in a hospital two weeks later. She was greeted by many familiar faces, including her parents. She could remember looking around the room but not seeing Ron anywhere. Hermione was told that she had been hit by a curse that had left her unconcious. It was Harry, who carried her to the hospital after the battle was over. Many were left standing but Ron was not among them. Harry told Hermione that he went back and searched but he was never able to find Ron's body. It was at that moment that Mrs. Weasley invited her to come live at the burrow, telling her that Ron would have wanted her to be with her Wizarding family. Hermione parent's agreed and she moved into the burrow.
Hermione had spent the last year living in Ron's old bedroom with the Weasleys. Harry and Ginny had gotten married a few months ago and had moved into Grimmauld Place but they still came to the burrow for meals. Hermione felt lonely at the burrow and had considered moving somewhere on her own but she couldn't bear the idea of leaving Ron's room. It was the last connection she had to him. She had never been able to move on. Every night she still looked at her ring and prayed that Ron would come home to her then she would cry herself to sleep.
After washing her face, Hermione looked at the clock and realized that she would be late for work if she didn't hurry. She scolded herself for letting herself get lost in her memories again. She rushed to finish getting ready and hurried downstairs for breakfast. She entered the kitchen and was greeted by her second family. After a quick greeting she sat down next to a very pregnant Ginny and began eating the food that was set in front of her. Under the watchful eye of Mrs. Weasley, Hermione had slowly began to gain her appetite back. She had stopped eating all together after she first lost Ron, not wanting to live without him. It had taken a year but her life was finally starting to get back on track.
"Hey Hermione, how did you sleep? You didn't dream did you?" Ginny was worried about her best friend. She knew that she missed Ron so much and that Hermione didn't accept the fact that he would never be coming home.
"I dream every night, Gin. The same dream. You know that." Hermione didn't look up as she answered Ginny. She was hoping to hide the tears in her eyes. Ginny just smiled sadly at her and patted her lightly on the arm.
"Hermione, I was wondering if you could stop by my office before lunch today." Mr. Weasley asked her. "I have someone that I want you to meet and maybe you can give me your opinion on them." Hermione had taken a job with the Ministry of Magic. She worked in the department of mysteries, specifically trying to develop a new time-turner. Occasionally, Mr. Weasley asked her to help out in other areas when he needed a "muggle" opinion on things. Arthur Weasley was now head of the entire magical community communication department, which meant that he still had regular dealings with muggles.
"Of course, Mr. Weasley. I will be there around noon." Hermione answered with a smile. Molly and Arthur had been like parents to her and Molly had told her that she could call them by their first names (or mom and dad) but Hermione had never felt comfortable doing that since her and Ron had never married.
"Wonderful. Well I had better be off then. Good bye, dear." He kissed Molly goodbye and left the burrow.
"I should be off too. Mrs. Weasley, I should be home in time to help you with dinner tonight. Take care of yourself Ginny. Bye Harry." Hermione gathered her things as she talked and with a quick wave she was gone.
"Ginny, dear, what dream has Hermione been having?" asked Mrs. Weasley, her voice full of concern.
"Oh mum, she has been having that dream about Ron again." said Ginny with a sigh. Tears filled Mrs. Weasley's eyes. Both women began to cry as Mrs. Weasley reached down to hug her only daughter.
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From the moment that Hermione arrived at work, she didn't stop moving. First she had to check on the experiments she had been observing for the last month. Then she had a department meeting which took longer than expected and consisted of many old wizards yelling at each other for the better part of an hour. She was in the middle of a report when she remembered her promise to meet Mr. Weasley. She quickly put her parchment and quill away and rushed to his office. Taking note that the door was ajar, Hermione knocked before stepping inside. She was so worried about being late that she didn't notice that there was someone already in the room.
"Hello, Hermione. Glad you could make it." Mr. Weasley said with a smile. He nodded towards the man standing in the room. "This is Addison Mitchell. He is the person that I wanted you to meet." Addison leaned forward and shook her hand. He was quite tall with broad shoulders. Addison wore his sandy colored hair in a short crew cut and had a heart warming smile. As Hermione greeted him, she became lost in his deep blue eyes.
"Hello, Mr. Mitchell. How can I help you today?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, please, call me Addison. I have a problem and Arthur seems to think that you will be able to help me. " Addison flashed her another smile.
"Alright Addison, why don't you tell me your problem."
"Actually Hermione, if you don't mind, I was hoping that we could discuss this over coffee that way we don't take up anymore of Arthur's time."
"Sure we can do that, although I am very busy today. Could we do it this evening?"
"Absolutely. I will meet you at the coffee shop across the street when you get off. Say around 5:30?"
"Sounds great I will see you then." answered Hermione with a smile.
"Mr. Weasley, thank you so much for your time and all of your help. I am sure that Hermione will be able to assist me further."
"It was my pleasure, Addison." Mr. Weasley and Addison shook hands before Addison left the office. Mr. Weasley walked him to the door and then closed it behind him before he turned to look at Hermione.
"Hermione, are you alright with this?" Mr. Weasley asked her with concern in his eyes.
"Of course, Mr. Weasley, why wouldn't I be?"
"It's just that, well I just wasn't sure if you were ready to start seeing anyone or not and Addison is such a nice man. I thought that might make it easier for you."
'Mr. Weasley, we are going to coffee to work on his problem. Its nothing more than that" Hermione didn't look Mr. Weasley in the eye. "Would you please tell Mrs. Weasley that I won't be home to help with dinner after all."
"Of course, Hermione." Hermione gave him a small smile and walked out of the office. With a small sigh, Arthur Weasley closed the door behind her. Hermione made it back to her office and closed the door before sliding to the ground and letting the tears that had been threatening to fall ever since she left the office. She didn't know what had happened. One minute she was agreeing to help with an assignment and the next the father of the man that she loved was confirming her worst fear. His family believed that he was never coming home and that she should be prepared to move on. She fingered the ring on her hand. He had promised her that he would come back to her and he had never broken a promise to her before. Hermione would keep waiting.
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Hermione arrived at the coffee shop just shy of 5:30. With a quick look around she came to the conclusion that Addison had not arrived yet and she took a seat at one of the tables near the back. She ordered a tea from the witch who came to take her order and had settled back to read some of the reports she had brought with her when Addison showed up. He quickly ordered a coffee and sat down at the table across from her.
"I am glad you were able to meet me here. I didn't want to talk in the office. You never know who could be listening."
"If you are talking about Mr. Weasley…" Hermione started to say getting defensive.
"No, of course not. Arthur was very helpful. But there are others around and I am just not sure who I can trust these days." Hermione noticed that as Addison was speaking his eyes were moving around the room, taking in his surroundings. "I came to Arthur because I had heard of your reputation and how you fought against Voldemort. I figure that if Harry Potter trusts you then I could trust you too."
"Do you know Harry?" asked Hermione.
"I only know his story." Addison said quickly.
"Well what is it that I can help you with?" Addison didn't answer right away but made a show of adding sugar to his coffee. Hermione leaned across the table and looked into his eyes. "Who are you exactly?"
"I am an American wizard. I work for a program similar to the aurors that you have here. I live among the muggles and keep an eye out for any signs of an uprising."
"I don't understand. How does living with muggles help prevent an uprising?" a confused Hermione asked.
"We have intelligence stating that death eaters are living as muggles and are plotting to take the world by surprise once they have rebuilt their armies. I am undercover, a spy for lack of a better word. I live in the muggle world not using magic in hopes that I can catch some of these men before it is too late." Addison finished his coffee and looked at Hermione expectantly.
"This is all very fascinating but I don't see how I can help."
"I think I may have found one of the death eater spies but I can't be sure if they are a wizard or a muggle. You know muggles better than anyone else in the Ministry not to mention how familiar you are with known death eaters. I need your help figuring out the truth."
"Who is this person?"
"Well actually there are two. My roommates." Hermione looked at Addison, surprised by this statement.
"Your roommates?"
"Yes. I know that one of them is a wizard because I keep spotting signs of magic. I just don't know which one it is. I was hoping that you can meet them both and then help me decide who is the real muggle." Addison reached across the table and touched Hermione's hand. Hermione quickly moved her hand she towards her tea cup. She took a sip of her tea to explain the sudden move. He flashed her a gorgeous smile. "Please help me."
"I suppose I could help you, but how are you going to get them to London?"
"Don't worry about that. I have it covered. I want you to meet them separately so would it be ok to meet Kyle tomorrow and Keith on Sunday?"
"That would be fine." Addison smiled again and stood up from the table.
"Thanks again, Hermione. I will see you next week." Addison dropped a few coins on the table before heading out the door. Hermione watched him walk out the door before she began to gather her things. She stood for a minute and though about what had just happened. She knew that Addison wanted her help and that was why he was being so nice but was it possible that he had been trying to flirt with her? Hermione shook her head. It was just her imagination, she thought to herself. She quickly paid her tab and apparated home.
Hermione arrived at the burrow to find the kitchen full of people. When she entered the room everyone looked up and Hermione saw many tear stained faces. Mrs. Weasley rushed towards her and threw her arms around her. As Hermione held Mrs. Weasley, she felt dread fill her stomach. She looked around the room and met Ginny's tear filled eyes.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Hermione asked the room at large but her eyes never left Ginny's. Slowly Harry stood up and walked towards her.
"Hermione, I went to the battle field today; like I do every Friday." Harry couldn't look Hermione in the eye. Instead he handed her a bag. "Today, I found this." Hermione opened the bag and began to sob as she saw the contents; the pieces of a broken wand; Ron's wand.
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Once again Hermione was sitting alone at the same table in that coffee shop. She was waiting for Addison to show up with his roommate Keith. Hermione had met with Kyle the night before and come to the conclusion that he was definitely a muggle. He had spent the better part of hour talking about baseball and staring at her chest after doing a few shots of a muggle drink called tequila. Hermione told Addison that Kyle seemed like the average twenty-something muggle male and he would have to be a very good actor in order for him to be a death eater. This lead Addison to believe that Keith was the death eater in disguise but he still wanted Hermione to confirm his suspicions. Hermione was looking over the menu again when Addison came and sat down across from her.
"Hello Hermione."
"Hi Addison. Where is Keith?" Hermione asked when she noticed that he was alone.
"Oh, he called and told me that he had met a girl while site seeing and would be here a little later." Addison scooted his chair closer to Hermione's. He leaned in and whispered into her ear. "So it looks like we have about an hour together before he comes." Hermione felt a chill run down her spine as she felt his warm breath on her ear. Quickly she moved her chair so that she was once again facing him. She decided to ignore what had just happened and changed the subject.
"So are your roommates enjoying site seeing?" Hermione asked with a nervous smile. Addison smiled at her and moved closer again. Hermione felt butterflies in her stomach. Addison being next to her felt like she was betraying Ron. She knew that Addison liked her but Ron was the only one who had permisson to smile at her like that and she knew that her heart would never allow her to smile back. As if reading her mind Addison slid his chair back over.
"Its okay, you know." Addison said in a low voice. "I would never hurt you. But if your not ready, I understand." Addison looked into Hermione's eyes as he said these words. Hermione felt herself relax and didn't flinch when Addison touched the ring on her right hand. "Who is the lucky fellow who gave you that beautiful ring?" Hermione smiled and looked down at her ring. She closed her eyes as heard the door to the coffee shop jingle announcing that someone had arrived. When Hermione opened her eyes she only saw one thing and was only able to whisper one word.
"Ron"
Hermione felt the tears begin to roll down her cheeks as Ronald Weasley began to walk towards her table. Addison turned around to she what she was staring at and jumped up from the table. He walked over towards Ron and the two men shook hands before Addison led Ron to the table.
"This is my roommate, Keith. Keith this is the girl that I told you about." Addison smiled as he made the introductions. As both men sat at the table, Hermione shook her head in disbelief. No it couldn't possibly be Ron. Ron was dead. He had been gone for over a year and now she had his broken wand. Hermione just stared at Keith as he and Addison talked.
"So did you have fun today?" Addison asked Keith. Hermione noticed that Keith turned bright red.
"Oh yeah, she was ummm, well she was cute with curly brown hair." Keith smiled at Hermione. "But there was something about her that just wasn't right. She……" But what she was Hermione never heard. She was too busy staring at the scars on Keith's arms. Scars that looked just like the ones Ron had gotten from the brains at the department of mysteries. Hermione came to her senses when Addison kicked her from underneath the table. Hermione looked up at both men but couldn't speak. Addison and Keith were both smiling at her and she once again saw the smile that she had fallen in love with. She opened her mouth to speak when the waitress arrived to take Keith's drink order. As the waitress walked away, she bumped the corner of the table, spilling Addison's drink all over Keith.
"Bloody Hell" exclaimed Keith as he reached for napkins to clean up the mess. Hermione jumped up from the table and ran to the ladies room. Addison excused himself from the table and rushed after Hermione. He knocked on the rest room door before entering. Hermione was bent over a sink, hyperventilating, crying.
"Hermione, what's the matter with you? Why did you leave the table?" Addison asked, voice full of concern. Hermione couldn't look up but continued to stare at the sink.
"Keith isn't a death eater."
"How do you know, you didn't even speak to him."
"I know because," Hermione looked straight into Addison's eyes. "because his name is Ronald Weasley." Hermione began to sob again. "That man out there is my Ron and he has no idea who I am."
"But all the reports after the war said that Ron Weasley had been killed." Addison looked confused. "Plus I met Keith in America. He works in a lumber yard. How can you be sure?"
"Look you said that there had been signs of magic around your place. Ron, Keith, whoever he is, he is a wizard. Just not a death eater. And I am sure it is Ron because…" Hermione paused. Then in a low voice she whispered. "because I know." Hermione began to sob over the sink again. Addison reached to put his arm around her but she jumped away.
"Please don't touch me. I know you think I am crazy but it is him." Hermione looked at her reflection in the mirror and then at the ring on her right hand. "Is he happy?"
"What do you mean?"
"Is he happy with his life? Can he not remember the war and everyone that we lost? Has he forgotten about me?" Hermione had stopped crying and was looking at Addison for answers. Addison sighed before answering her.
"Yes, he's happy with his life."
"Then I can be happy for him and walk away." Hermione turned and left the bathroom. With her heart pounding she walked up to Keith.
"You don't know me but you remind me of someone that I used to know." Hermione gave him a weak smile. "I want you to have something. Just do me a favor and look at it every now and then." Hermione slipped the ring off of her right hand and placed it in his. "Keep it safe." Hermione smiled again before she turned and left the coffee shop. She felt the tears beginning to fall but didn't look back. She was leaving her old life behind her. Keith was sitting at the table staring at the little ring when Addison returned.
"Hey Keith, sorry about that." Keith didn't look up but continued to stare at the ring. "Hey man, are you all right?"
"Hermione" Keith whispered. Addison looked quite shocked. He didn't remember telling Keith Hermione's name. In fact they were trying to hide who she was because any death eater was sure to know the name Hermione Granger.
"What did you just say?"
"Hermione. That was my Hermione. Where did she go?" Keith got up and started looking around.
"Keith, how do you know Hermione?" Addison got a strange look on his face.
"I have to go find her." Keith jumped up from the table. He ran to the door before he turned around and said "Thanks for everything Addison."
"Goodbye, Ron?" Ron smiled and headed out the door.
Ron ran down the road looking for Hermione. Memories of the past came flooding back to him. The sight of the ring had triggered everything. He remember the war and standing beside Harry. Ron remembered how his heart had stopped when he saw that Hermione had been hit by that curse. He became distracted as he watched her fall and was hit a curse from the death eater he had been fighting. He knew he had been taken captive but the rest was a blur to him. Somehow he had ended up in America living as a muggle. Maybe it was the fact that Hermione was still alive that brought him back to his senses. All he knew was that he had to find her before he lost her again. Ron saw Hermione sitting on a park bench, in a garden filled with white roses, crying. He watched her cry, his heart breaking. Her skin was yellowed by the street lamp above her, giving Hermione a sickly look. Ron knew that she was finally coming to terms with losing him. That she still loved him.
"Hermione." Ron called her name and saw her look up. Slowly she stood up and faced him.
"Keith?" Hermione shook as she spoke. Why had he come after her? Ron walked up to her and took her hand.
"I will always be Ron to you." he smiled. Hermione held her breath as he touched her face.
"Ron? It's you? It's really you?" Ron nodded before leaning in and kissing her softly on the lips. Hermione closed her eyes and smiled. She leaned her forehead against his. "You came back to me."
"And you waited for me." Ron lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "I will never leave you again." Hermione wrapped her arms around Ron tightly and began to cry again though this time she cried tears of joy. "Here, put your ring back on, the ring that brought us back together." Laughing Hermione held out her right hand to him. Ron shook his head and got down on one knee.
"No, give me your left. We have wasted too much time apart. I am ready to start our lives together." Hermione gave Ron her left hand. "Hermione, will you marry me?" Not able to speak, Hermione nodded. Ron stood up and Hermione jumped into his arms.
"I love you, Ronald Weasley. I always have and I always will." Hermione whispered into his ear. Ron smiled as he put her down. Ron kissed her again with the passion that a year apart will do to a young couple in love and Hermione knew that her dream had finally come true. He had come back to her.