Granny's was packed with people laughing, hugging, drinking, and generally celebrating the impending New Year, the kind of thing that never would have happened during her reign as quee - town mayor. It makes her sick to see the hand holding and the doey eyes on all the happy residents of Storybrooke. They are right to be celebrating of course, the Snow Queen is defeated and the ushering in of a new year brings with it the promise of a year free from villains or curses or anything bad. Knowing they are right doesn't stop her from sneering at whoever tries to hand her a glass of champagne with which to toast the new year. She needs something stronger.
Two minutes 'til midnight. A brief image dances across the backs of her eyes, her with Robin, sipping champagne and smiling insipidly at each other in a manner befitting of Mary Margaret and David. She feels her heart clench at the idea, and the memory that Robin is gone, ringing in the new year somewhere else, with someone else.
One minute 'til midnight. Everyone is finding their loved ones so they are sure they have someone to kiss, holding their hands and gathering around the television. There is a pang in her heart as she instinctively looks around the diner and then has to remind herself that he isn't there.
20 - the countdown begins, everyone chanting together.
19
18
17
16 - another year alone.
15
14
13 - another new year with no one by her side.
12
11
10
9 - another year with everyone around her happy, and yet...
8
7
6
5
4 - despite being miserable again, she doesn't the evil queen because...
3
2
1
The chorus of "Happy New Year" breaks out around her, everywhere glasses clinking together and couples kissing, and then she feels the arms that are not so small anymore wrap themselves around her.
...Henry.
"Happy New Year, Mom!" he grins, and she kisses the top of his head, hugging him back, maybe a little tighter than he would like, but he doesn't complain. Maybe it's not Robin, but she still get's a New Year's kiss, and it's the best one she could ever ask for, her son.