She brushed her white hair, slowly, patiently, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was already marked by age and yet she had that innocent, happy look of a teenager, though she'd suffered so much.
In her many years of life, in her thirst of knowledge, she had learned how to become a better person. Long before had the bossy Hermione Granger become the wise and calm Hermione Potter she was today.
She'd learned how to deal with life and problems. She'd learned that patience was one of the biggest virtues and that there was no need to hush into a decision, for problems that seemed complicated could resolve themselves eventually, if people just waited the enough. She had learned what faith was, and that believing in the future and in the others' capabilities was something she should do. She'd learned the most important essential things in a human's life, like the real meaning of the word love.
A smile played on her lips as she stared at a corner in the mirror, in which was reflected her bed. There was a volume, like a huge mountain, a shape. The shape of her husband who she deeply loved.
She put the brush inside a drawer and walked over to the bed, her lips still holding the gentle smile. She sat on the side opposite Harry and lay down next to him, placing her hand on his raven-black hair, stroking it softly not to wake him up.
Although, she heard him move and a few seconds later, green eyes were staring at her. From one second to the other, his face turned from calm and relaxed to frightened and confused.
"Where am I?" his scared voice remembered her of the 11-year-old Harry Potter who barely knew anything about witches and wizards and the Wizarding World.
She reached to hold his hands and squeezed it. "Shh… Calm down… You're home. You're safe with me." She said with a comforting voice, like a mother singing lullabies to her son who can't sleep because he's scared of the bogeyman.
He seemed confused and scared for just one more split second and then breathed in and out slowly, finally placing his head on the pillow, closing his eyes and opening them to stare at her, those lovely emerald-green eyes filled with passion and caring for the woman lying in front of him.
Her smile grew wide as she saw the look on his face and she secretly thanked God, for he still remembered her.
"Hermione… I love you." It made her shiver. Yet the phrase held such power, and it was said in a way that resembled goodbyes, like it was the last thing he'd ever say to her, that she couldn't help but let a tear fall down her cheek.
She was afraid that tomorrow she might wake up to find those green eyes staring at her with that frightened looked they'd had just moments ago. She was afraid that the words coming from his mouth would be "Who are you?". And she did know that it would happen some day, he would stop knowing her anymore, but she didn't like to think about it.
"I love you too, Harry." He didn't hear her because he was already asleep and she could hear his peaceful breathing. She leaned to kiss his cheek.
She had been married to him for about fifty years now and they'd been through the most unimaginable things together. Saving the stone, going back in time to save someone who was considered a murderer, fighting Voldemort and his Death Eaters, finding and destroying the Horcruxes… And those experiences only made them get closer and strengthened the bond between the two of them, making them love each other in such a way that was so hard to find in today's society.
Fifty years was such a big number, yet it seemed like she'd been with him for so little time… there was so much to go through, so much to see, to live. Though their bodies were getting old, their hair and skin was loosing colour and their faces were getting marked by old age, she still felt the energy of a young person, like they were, in spirit, as pure as when they'd met each other. There was so much more about this world they yet had to discover…
She didn't feel bad about his disease. If they'd managed to fight off the most powerful wizard ever, they would be able to go through this together and to stay together in the end. Their souls were so connected that it couldn't be Alzheimer that would destroy their happiness…
She knew it. They had lived together, and they would die together… No matter how, they'd finish off the stupid illness… A love like theirs couldn't end because of such a mundane thing like that.
She didn't need anyone reminding her that they were getting old and that their bodies and minds weren't the same; it was all rubbish, she knew it. She knew how strong the power of love, of their love was, and their spirits were young enough. They'd be together always and forever… No matter what happened, she would always love him and Harry, well, even with his disease, she knew he would love her. She didn't know, she just knew their love would get though it all.
She smiled again. It was one of the most important things that meeting Harry had taught her. "Have faith, believe in yourself and in the others."