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Met my old lover in the grocery store,
The snow was falling Christmas Eve.
I stole behind her in the frozen foods,
And I touched her on the sleeve.
She didn't recognize the face at first,
But then her eyes flew open wide.
She went to hug me and she spilled her purse,
And we laughed until we cried.
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The man stepped into the grocery store, his heavy black boots leaving snowy prints on the floor. He glanced around the store, at the glowing linoleum floors and the warm electric lights that shone from the ceiling. He then glanced out the wall-sized windows at the snow that poured from the angry gray sky. He grabbed a cart from the racks and moved slowly through the store. His callused hands picked up several items, observing their contents before tossing them offhandedly into his cart. He ran one hand through his shaggy, ruddy hair, ignoring the beads of ice that fell onto his neck, the other hand grabbing groceries, his blue eyes intense as he looked at what he grabbed.
Though he could tell that the store's heat was going as high as it possibly could, he still shivered with cold as he moved through the partially empty store. Finally, he stopped in front of the dairy products, his keen blue eyes looking around him carefully. Then he stepped into an empty aisle and stood still. He glanced around him once more, then let his hands slip from the cart. He slipped one hand into his pocket and to a normal person, pulled out what looked like a medium sized stick. But if a person was more intuitive, he could probably tell that it was a wand. The man lifted the wand gently, before closing his eyes, waving the wand and whispering into the empty air, "Tepidus." Almost instantly, the man felt a rush of warmth run up and down his body as the wand shuddered, emitting glowing red sparks from it's chipped end.
The man smiled at the wand in his hand, then slipped it into his trenchcoat pocket. His large hands grasped the cart and he began to walk once more. As he walked, beads of frigid water, formerly snowflakes, slipped off of the black leather of his trenchcoat, falling to the ground, leaving small puddles along with the snowy foot-prints on the linoleum floor. As the man walked from the aisle, he glanced at the people around him. They did not even give him a second glance. He breathed a slight sigh of relief and pushed the squeaky cart towards the frozen foods.
He browsed the foods, grabbing a turkey from one of the compartments, frozen orange juice from another. He was in the process of grabbing a box of waffles before he looked up and frowned. A woman had just entered the section as well. She was tall and thin, her curves showing even through the long brown coat she wore. Underneath the leather coat, he could easily see the black of her turtle-neck and the blue-jeans she wore so casually. She wore her brown hair up in a careless pony-tail that still looked becoming. Her brown eyes were intense as she compared the prices before her. The man's eyes flickered from her serious face to her hair. Then he saw the slight frizz that peppered some spots of it's surface.
He wanted to curse out loud in astonishment, jump up and down right then and there and run and hide all at the same time. He felt his face and inevitably his ears growing redder by the minute. He looked around him, and upon seeing no one else besides the two of them in the section, quickly and quietly turned his cart around and wheeled it away. He steered it behind the woman so that he was only a few feet away from her. His heart pounded frantically as he abandoned the cart and slowly walked behind her, trying hard not to make any noise at all. The woman was so serious and taken up with her decisions that she did not even comprehend that there was another person there. The man smiled wistfully as he noticed this, recognizing that old, familiar, stubborn trait.
He took a deep breath, then tugged on her sleeve. The woman started violently and whirled around, surprised out of her concentration. She stared at him for a long moment, her large brown eyes studying him intensely. The man grinned sheepishly, trying to hide the redness on his face and ears, then nervously slipped his hands into his trenchcoat pockets. Then her eyes widened and she placed her hand over her mouth. "Ron?" She whispered unbelievingly. Ron breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. Hermione stared at him in shock, dropping her hand from her mouth, showing her open lips. Ron chuckled and shook his head. "Ya know 'Mione, with the way you used to study, you'd think that you'd have known what I'd look like in twenty years." He joked. Hermione shook her head slowly, shock still on her face. "It hasn't been that long." She murmured. "I know. All the more reason that you should be ashamed for not knowing your childhood buddy." Ron countered.
Then she began to laugh and threw her arms around Ron, her long arms reaching round his neck. But as she did so, her small, but open purse that hung on her arm, dropped to the floor, its contents spilling to the ground. Ron held her tightly and swung her around as they both began to laugh, ignoring the mess on the ground for the moment. Hermione clutched Ron to her desperately, tears welling in her eyes along with the painful warmth that swelled in her heart.
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We took her groceries to the check-out stand,
The food was totaled up and bagged.
We stood there lost in our embarrassment,
As the conversation dragged.
We went to have ourselves a drink or two,
But couldn't find an open bar.
We bought a six-pack at the liquor store,
And we drank it in her car.
We drank a toast to innocence.
We drank a toast to now.
We tried to reach across the emptiness,
But neither one knew how.
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Ron and Hermione drew away from each other in sudden embarrassment. Hermione nervously brushed her brown hair from her shoulder as she crouched on the ground, picking up the pens, pencils, lipstick and other assorted items that fell from her bag. Ron smiled and dropped to his knees beside her, his trench coat billowing around him like a cloak. Hermione glanced up at him with a sad smile. "Miss your robes?" She asked. Ron smiled and shook his head, but there was a tinge of sadness in his voice. "Nope. I hated those robes. I always got the lousy second hand ones." But he couldn't truly speak truthfully as he glanced at the black trenchcoat he wore. Hermione sensed the lie, but said nothing.
Ron frowned, then smiled as he picked up a slender object from the floor. He held the wand in his hand a moment, then extended his hand. Hermione's eyes widened and she blushed slightly as she grasped it from him. "Its just there, just in case." She murmured, slipping it into her purse and blushing red. "Yeah, I know. Just in case." Ron whispered. "Here, lemme help you." He said quietly, grasping her things and handing them to her. She smiled and stood, her white hands grasping the cart. "Thanks, Ron." She said, her eyes shining. Ron nodded and walked alongside her silently as she walked up to the check-out stand. Though she hadn't spoken, Ron knew what Hermione wanted to ask him, but was afraid that it would be too forward.
The conversation had ceased completely, leaving Ron's face turning red and saw Hermione looking nervous as she searched for words to say. "Funny, Hermione," Ron finally said as they walked out the grocery store. Hermione glanced at him, grateful that he was speaking. "I've never really seen you at a loss for words before. Its very refreshing." Ron said with a grin. Hermione rolled her eyes as she unlocked her car. "Wow! Nice car! Buy it yourself?" Ron asked, running his gloved fingers along the hood of the car. He was so engrossed with the vehicle that he didn't see the pained look that came over Hermione's face as she placed her groceries in the trunk. "Hardly. My husband bought it for me." Ron's head popped up suddenly as she said it, but he couldn't see her as she buried her head in the trunk as she made room for the plastic bags.
Ron stared at her hunched form for a time, his mind going numb. What did you expect, you big goon? You think she was gonna wait for you? Especially after you disappeared like that? Ron thought inwardly. When Hermione slammed the trunk door, she was smiling and as she shoved the cart into it's holder, she grinned at Ron. "Wanna go get a drink, Ron? My treat." She said, jangling her keys. Ron managed a weak smile, and shook his head as he slipped inside the car, settling into the leather seat. "Amazing how a couple years ago, you said drinking is the bane of man's existance, and now YOU'RE inviting me to go get a beer!" Ron laughed as Hermione started the car. Hermione gave a wistful smile and shivered as she cranked up the heat. "Kinda like the house-elves huh?" She said quietly.
Ron smiled and nodded, resting his red head on his black gloved hand. "Yeah. You still believe in rights for house-elves, 'Mione?" Hermione slowly turned to Ron, a sugary-sweet, almost mocking smile on her face as she pulled the car out of the parking space. "Oh c'mon, Ron. Aren't we a little old for fairy-tales?" That struck Ron silent as he stared at his childhood friend as she pulled out of the parking lot and into the snowy world outside.
"Oh crud! Its closed!" Hermione moaned as she pulled outside the "Bluelight Bar". Indeed, the bar was closed and dark, the owner just coming outside and locking the front door. "Well thats alright. How 'bout we try the "Red Rose Bar"?" Ron suggested. Hermione turned to him, a look of surprise on her face. "You go to bars? Little Ron Weasley?" She said unbelieveably. Ron scoffed loudly. "You think you're the only one who can have a good time? Is that it?" Hermione shook her head. "NO! But I didn't know that you went to bars! It just seems so strange!" She said with a smile. "I don't go to bars that often. Every now and then me and the twins go, sometimes Bill and Charlie too, but they're pretty busy with their families and all." Ron said as he shrugged. "Really the only reason we go is for this one really watered-down drink that almost tastes like Butterbeer." He said wistfully. Hermione didn't contradict him this significant part in their lives before, but merely pursed her lips and pulled out of the parking-lot, heading towards the other bar.
"Geez! Its only like, what? Midnight? Good grief! They should be open!" Ron protested as they pulled up in front of the closed bar, the usually blinking red rose still and silent. Hermione shrugged as she pulled away once more. "Well it IS Christmas Eve." She put in. Ron crossed his arms across his chest. "I bet the Three Broomsticks would be open, that is, if it was, if it hadn't," Ron ceased to speak, pursing his lips as a pained look came over his face. "C'mon Ron. We'll just go buy something from a liquor store. How's that sound?" Hermione wheedled. Ron shrugged and looked out into the snowy world. "Okay. Not as good as Butterbeer, but it'll do." He said sadly.
That was exactly what they did. In the parking lot of the liquor store, Hermione sat a six pack of beer in the seat between them. "There you go. Three for you, three for me." She said, eagerly grasping one of the cans and popping it open. Ron's eyes widened and he smiled good-naturedly. "Geez, 'Mione! Didn't know you planned on getting drunk tonight!" Hermione smiled and fingered the can, glancing down at the amber liquid inside. "Trust me, it would take more than three cans to get me drunk. Believe me, I know." She said wistfully. Ron watched her, his can in his hand unopened, as Hermione threw back her long neck and took a big drink of the beer.
As Ron stared at her, watched her act upon her weakness, his look in his eyes became one of pain, of weakness. If I hadn't run off, if I hadn't gone with Harry, would she have become like this? But no, Ron. She wasn't like this when you came back. She was just engaged and she was ticked off that you couldn't come into town for the wedding. What was it that did this? Was it just the fact that I stayed away too long? Did she get tired of waiting up for me? Would she have been like this if I had changed everything and had stayed by her side instead of pursuing the Death Eaters? They were all questions that would remain unanswered and as Hermione smiled at him, he saw the same pain and weakness reflecting in her own eyes. "To the past." She said quietly, the smile fading as she raised her can. Ron popped open the can and raised it to clink with hers. "To the past." He whispered. And as he drank the beer, he could almost see two children in the back seat of her car, a boy with bright red hair and a snub nose, and a little girl with buck teeth and long, frizzy brown hair, both of them watching the adults intently.
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She said she'd married her an architect,
Who kept her warm and safe and dry.
She would have liked to say she loved the man,
But she didn't like to lie.
I said the years had been a friend to her,
And that her eyes were still as blue.
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I,
Saw doubt or gratitude.
She said she saw me in the record stores,
And that I must be doing well.
I said the audience was heavenly,
But the traveling was hell.
We drank a toast to innocence,
We drank a toast to now.
We tried to reach across the emptiness,
But neither one knew how.
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"So," Hermione said, easing back into her seat. "I suppose you're wondering who the lucky man is." She said. Ron shrugged. "Not especially." Hermione scoffed loudly. "Yeah right, Ron Weasley! You can't really mean that." She said knowingly. Again, Ron shrugged, a sad smile on his face. "Better not tell me, otherwise I might go 'accidentally' run into him and take you back." Ron said with a grin. Hermione shook her head and took a drink of her beer. "You wouldn't know him anyway." She said quietly, a smile still lingering on her lips. Ron stared at her in surprise. "You don't mean to tell me that you married a Muggle?" He asked.
Hermione looked up at him, her eyes blazing. "Is there something wrong with marrying a Muggle?" She demanded. The blood in Ron's veins had become red hot and was bubbling inside him as he stared at Hermione. He tried to keep it in check and steadied his voice as he shook his head. "No, of course not." He said. Except for the fact that because I cared more about ME than YOU, you had to marry a Muggle rather than a wizard like you should have. Now you can't do the things you like to do, study about Hogwarts, about wizards and witches. You can't show me the new spells you've concocted or anything. Of course, not like you can do that NOW, what with whats happened. What a waste. He thought this silently and kept it to himself, casting a winning smile in Hermione's direction in an attempt to make sure she didn't catch on to his real thoughts.
She bought it. She shook her head disapprovingly and continued. "He's really nice, Ron. You'd like him." Another swig of beer. "He's an architect, a good one too. He designed our house. Its kinda like Hogwarts in some parts. We live in the country." She said in an explanatory way. "He didn't really understand my fascination with castles and such, but well, he did it." She faltered. Another drink. Another can opened. "He's really great. Lets me do whatever I want. I've got a credit card, thats a thing that lets me buy things and such. And I've got the car and I get an allowance for whatever I want." She shrugged. "Its great." Then her voice and face faltered as she spoke again. "You know, you think that with all that stuff, and all the things I have, I'd really love him." She sighed and fingered the beer can. "But I don't like to lie. I don't love him. Even though," She chuckled. "I don't like to lie even though, what was that thing Malfoy always said?" She asked looking into his eyes. Ron showed no sign of emotion, but merely stared at her wistfully and answered her. "Honesty is overrated." He said quietly. Hermione smiled broadly as she recognized the phrase. "Yeah! Honesty is overrated. Honesty is overrated." She murmured quietly, the smile fading from her face.
"He thinks I'm really pretty. You know what he said on our first date?" She asked. Ron shook his head and took a drink of beer as the anger boiled inside him once more. "Couldn't imagine." He muttered. "He said that I reminded him of cherry wood. Its a type of wood that is rosy and beautiful and lasts forever. That was nice, wasn't it?" Ron stared at her, managing to plant a smile on his face that could be interpreted as congratulatory or slightly sickened. "Yeah. Great." He managed to say without choking on his beer. Then he thought of all the things he wished he could have said, all the things he had said. But what was the point of saying them when you left anyway?
He chuckled quietly and looked up at her. "Well, I guess he's right. Your eyes are still as blue as the day I met you, Hermione." He said, a glint in his eyes. Hermione froze a moment, then laughed loudly as she remembered the incident that had accompanied the words. "You were so STUPID!" She howled. Ron threw his arms in the air with false anger. "Well c'mon! I was only sixteen for crying out loud!" He yelled, a grin still on his face. "You had known me since I was ELEVEN and you thought my eyes were BLUE?? C'mon! I would think you were more observant!" Ron's face grew a bright red. "Hey! I wasn't very observant, okay! I honestly thought your eyes were blue for a while, so drop it!" He said crossly. Hermione grinned and smacked him good-naturedly. "I should have been glad for any compliment you could have given me, shouldn't I?" She asked, her laughter fading. Ron's smile faded as well as he stared into space. "Yeah. We both should have." He murmured. Hermione pulled back slightly and eased into her seat, she too staring at the ghosts of the past.
Ron smiled wistfully at the memory. She was right. He HAD been stupid. Not to know the color of her eyes. He shook his head inwardly. It was pathetic. Before he had left with Harry and Neville and the others, he had looked at those bright brown eyes and had immortalized them in his memory. And as he looked at them now...........there was an obvious difference from then and today. They weren't as bright, nor as alive. In her eyes, he wasn't sure of her thoughts. There had been a time when he could read her thoughts and her feelings by looking in her eyes. Now he wasn't sure. He couldn't tell if she had taken his compliment seriously, couldn't tell if she had even believed him. He was like her in that way. Now that he'd seen her again.........he didn't know what to believe.
"You wanna know why you kinda surprised me in the grocery store?" Hermione asked suddenly. "No, why?" Ron asked, raising his head to look at her. "Because I had seen your face from somewhere. Then I remembered that I'd seen it in that Muggle magazine 'People' only today! I never thought that you, Ron Weasley, the former butt-kicking Auror, would be a singer! I mean c'mon! You never even let on that you knew HOW to sing!" Hermione said with an admiring smile. Ron blushed and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah well, I didn't either. But after everything, after the war, I kinda figured I had better get used to the situation and make the best of it. Try to fit in. You know?" He said. "Well all the same, I couldn't believe it. It was so startling. I don't listen to the radio that much so," She finished her sentence with a shrug of her shoulders. Ron cast a look of mock hurt in her direction. "Oh THANKS, Hermione! Thanks for supporting me." He said, enjoying the panicked look that came over her face as she tried to persuade him otherwise.
"I know what you mean though." Hermione said, quieting down after she realized that Ron was joking. "I had a job for a while. I worked in a massage place." Ron gave her a queer look. "YOU? A massage person?" Ron exploded. "Its called a masseuse." She corrected him. "And I was VERY good at it. I just used a little magic to help me out." Hermione said, blushing slightly. "Hermione Granger! Using magic illegally in the Muggle world? I'm ashamed of you." Ron said mockingly. "Well look at YOU! I mean, well, I, you're a singer." She faltered. "Thats not the same as using magic illegally to be a mass-, massperson." Ron said, fumbling over the words. Hermione rolled her eyes and took another drink of beer.
"Well?" She asked. "Well what?" Ron asked. "Do you like it? Being a singer, I mean." Hermione asked with interest. Ron shrugged and glanced down at his beer. "Its okay. Its fun, you know? I don't get to see the family as often, but still. I love to sing for people. Its kinda funny, you know? To look out at the fans and to think inwardly, 'Would you love my music so much if you knew what I once was?'" Ron said wistfully. Hermione smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I would think that if I was in that situation." She agreed. "The only thing bad about it, besides seeing the family, is the traveling. Good grief! I HATE it! Its pure hell! Hell incarnate. Going from city to city constantly at the most ungodly hours. Its times like those that I wish I could just apparate from place to place. Then it would be the perfect career." Ron said, a yearning tone in his soft voice.
"So you have a family then?" Hermione asked quietly. "Me? Oh no! No!" Ron said quickly. He was surprised by Hermione's appearance as he looked up at her. She was looking down at her beer can, looking as though she dreaded the answer she thought he would give her. But at his answer, she raised her head slowly and cocked her head. "Why not?" She asked. Ron's gaze faltered as he stared at her and he shrugged. "Didn't see the point. I didn't have you, so what was the point?" He scoffed. Hermione stared at him, as if unable to comprehend what her friend had just said. Then she sighed deeply. "There's alot of things that we think would have been alot better if we had them, aren't there?" She asked quietly. Ron eyed her silently, nodding, his long fingers running up and down the beer can.
"Do you remember those days? Before the war, I mean. When there actually was a Wizarding world? A distinction between wizards and witches and muggles?" Hermione asked suddenly. Ron's eyes widened. Up till now, he had thought that Hermione had forgotten. She had certainly given all the indications that she had forgotten about that life, or wished to forget about it. It had certainly been a long time for Ron as well. The only time he ever spoke of Hogwarts or even magic, was when he was safely at home with his parents and siblings, or when he spoke with Harry over the phone. But other than that, "It was such a long time ago." He whispered. Hermione nodded vigorously. "But surely you remember?" She asked, pleading lacing her words. Ron brought his head up quickly. "Well sure I remember. It was the life I lead before this one. Things were alot different back then weren't they?" Ron asked. "Yes. Remember Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked.
Ron laughed loudly at the memory of the tall woman, her witch's hat always perched on her head. "I thought she had it in for me! Bloody hell! She gave us such a hard time! She always liked Charlie though. Remember 'Bertie Botts Every-Flavor Beans'?" Ron asked eagerly. Hermione laughed loudly. "Just like you to think of food!" Ron shook his head, but continued to grin. "I can't help it. I LOVED them! Do you?" He pressed. "Of COURSE I remember them! How could I not remember them?" Hermione chided. "Its been a long time since I had some wizard candy. Fred 'n George would die for a box of those these days." Ron said, sobering and shaking his head. "What did they do? Fred and George, after the war was over?" Hermione asked tentatively. "Well, they obviously couldn't start their joke shop, so they, well," Hermione noted the pained look flashed over Ron's freckled face. "They just went and worked at a toy store." Ron spat out. Hermione was silent, her hands resting in her lap as she eyed Ron. "The prats love toys and gadgets so they figured it was the best bloody place for them. Gory hell!" Ron seethed.
"Why the hell did everything have to bloody end? Why?" Ron exploded angrily, turning his gaze upon a now subdued Hermione. "Because Dumbledore said so." Hermione said quietly. Ron scoffed loudly. "A lot of good it did Dumbledore! He's still dead!" Ron spat out. Hermione nodded and placed her hand over one of Ron's fists. Ron softened and shook his head. "Its just not fair." He muttered. "I know." Hermione whispered gently. In the next early morning hours, Hermione and Ron talked about everything that had happened to them since their last year at Hogwarts.
The war between Voldemort and all good witches and wizards had begun in their fifth year when Voldemort attacked Hogwarts with his armies of Dementors, Death Eaters and horrid creatures that he had gathered from all corners of the earth to attack the school. The war had proceeded to their sixth year, but because of a freak accident, nothing was resolved. It merely pressed Voldemort to try harder to get to Harry Potter and his friends. He had certainly tried hard, for in seventh year, the Dark Lord had gotten the courage to actually enter Hogwarts and seek out Harry for himself. Though he tried to kill him, it was Voldemort who was conquered, for Dumbledore gave everything he had to save Harry, everything. After the Death Eaters were scattered, captured and placed in Azkaban, Dumbledore gave one final decree which all witches and wizards all over the world honored: the wizarding world would cease to exist. It would be better for everyone involved if the wizards and witches of the world ceased to be, ceased to practice magic.
Hogwarts was decimated, as well as the other schools all over the world. Places like Diagon Alley were destroyed. Students returned to their homes, either destroying their wands or hiding them on their person like Ron and Hermione. Now they were Muggles. No, scratch that. They were human beings. No distinction. Harry Potter had lived with Sirius Black until he, Ron and many others were called on a secret mission to destroy several Death Eaters and followers of Voldemort that had escaped their forces. That was where Ron and Harry had gone. That was what Ron had done to leave Hermione alone, though he promised to come back. It had been many years, and when he had returned, he found Hermione engaged to a Muggle. A Muggle.
No, a human being. No distinction. That was what Ron had pounded into his brain, but refused to believe. He had grown up in a wizarding family, he was not about to forget what composed his identity. He had refused to go to her wedding. Refused. He couldn't forget that he'd told her to wait, that he'd be back. He couldn't. And now, it was Hermione telling him how sorry she was that she hadn't waited for him. She hadn't heard anything from him in so many years, so she gave up on him. "You gave up? Hermione Granger? I didn't know you were capable of giving up." Ron said wistfully. Hermione blushed and looked away. "Well I did. I believed, that is, everybody convinced me that you must be dead. After all, the last I'd heard of you was a brief message, five years ago, Ron. I thought you were dead. You had to be. And then you came back and I was so happy! And then," Hermione faltered.
"And then I acted sullen and ticked you off because I wouldn't go to your wedding." Ron finished. "Exactly! I actually wanted to call off the wedding! I was so happy! But then, then, you were acting so nasty! I mean, even Harry came to my wedding! But not you. You wouldn't. So I married him, basically to, to get back at you. I'm sorry for that, because I regret it. If I had been the Hermione that I was in Hogwarts, I would have called it off. I wouldn't have married him. But when Hogwarts and everything disappeared, it took who I was with it. My identity. I was just a Muggle again. Just an ordinary, boring Muggle." Ron nodded silently. "Just a Muggle. Just a plain old Muggle." He whispered. "This is long overdue, Hermione. But I'm really sorry. I am." Ron said, looking up at the woman beside him in the car. Tears flooded Hermione's eyes and she frantically tried to blink them away as she stared at Ron. "So am I. So am I, Ron."
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We drank a toast to innocence,
We drank a toast to time,
We're living in our eloquence,
Another old lang syne
The beer was empty and our tongues were tired,
And running out of things to say.
She gave a kiss to me as I got out,
And I watched her drive away.
Just for a moment I was back at school,
And felt that old familiar pain.
And as I turned to make my way back home,
The snow turned into rain.
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Hermione tossed the last beer can into the seat behind them and sighed. "Well, thats the last of it." Ron nodded silently, his hands behind his head as he stared at nothing. Hermione glanced at him, then looked down at her watch with an exclamation of surprise. "My goodness! Its one 'o clock! Your family must be worried!" Hermione said with concern, starting the car and backing out of the liquor store parking lot. Ron chuckled and shook his head. "No, probably not. They're used to my weird schedule, but I bet that Mum isn't gonna hafta defrost that turkey I bought." Hermione glanced at him, laughter shining in her eyes.
They were silent for the return to the grocery store, Ron thinking in silent solitude, Hermione doing the same. Neither knew what to say, for both had said what they'd wanted to say for so long, except for Ron. There was one more thing that he had to say, but wasn't sure if he had the guts. It had done him good to talk about his life before this one. Especially with Hermione. He had a connection with Hermione, different than his with Harry. Harry was his oldest and dearest friend, but he had loved Hermione. Loved her with all his heart, even when they'd fought in sixth year and he'd gone to the Yule Ball with Lavender Brown just to spite her. He regretted that now. If only he'd known that there wouldn't be another dance, there would never be another chance for him to beg her forgiveness, to tell her how much he loved her, how much he cherished her. If he didn't do it now, he'd never have another chance.
He knew another thing too. He might not be allowed to be a wizard, but that wasn't going to stop him from being one. He would practice magic, with caution of course, but he would still do it. When he visited Ginny and Harry and their kids, he'd make sure to tell them all about Hogwarts and the life before. He knew that Harry and Ginny did that, of course, but he still wanted to feel like he'd done something, just so they wouldn't think that their parents weren't making it up. He didn't want them to end up like Hermione had, or Neville, who was so frightened that the Death Eaters would return, that he denied all existence of Hogwarts and magic, for fear they'd find him and kill him. He wouldn't let those kids forget, or any other kids. He couldn't be something he was not. He was a wizard.
"Well, here's your stop." Hermione said quietly as she pulled into the parking lot. "Yeah, my stop." Ron said thoughtfully. "Well, good-bye, Ron. We'll have to keep in touch you know. You still have my number? Good. Call me sometime, maybe we can get together. I'll see you," Hermione said quickly. "Hermione, stop a minute." Hermione stopped as Ron interrupted her mid-sentence. "I've gotta tell you something." Hermione nodded, urging him on.
"This isn't gonna be easy for me to say, but I've gotta say it unless I never do see you again." Ron took a deep breath and looked deep into Hermione's eyes as he spoke. "Hermione, I love you." Hermione's eyes widened and her mouth moved as if to speak. "No, don't, Hermione. Lemme finish." Ron said, placing his hand over her mouth. "I don't know how long I've loved you, but its been for a long time, seems like forever. But I wanted to tell you that I love you so much, even when I acted like a jerk back then, it was because I loved you so much, and I wasn't sure you felt the same. If things had turned out better, or if I'd known what was gonna happen, I would have told you so a long time ago. There's so many things I'd change." Ron sighed.
"But I can't change them. So I've gotta tell you now, that I love you, and I'll never stop, Hermione. I'll never stop." Hermione's brown eyes were filled with tears and her hand was pressed to her trembling lips as she stared at Ron. Ron smiled and gently brushed the tears away with his gloved finger. "Don't cry, 'Mione. Don't cry." He grinned broadly. "If you don't, I might hafta go put a Imperius curse on him and make him file for a divorce so I could marry you." Hermione laughed through her tears as she dabbed her eyes. She smiled at him tearfully for a time. Then she slowly leaned over and kissed him gently on the mouth. Ron pulled her close to him, tasting the bitter taste of the tears that slipped down her cheeks.
Ron gently caressed her cheek with one finger as they pulled away from each other and he opened the car door. Then he immortalized her face in his memory, placing it beside the frizzy haired first year in his mind. He smiled wistfully and whispered, "Never forget who you are, Hermione. We might not be the same people, but the groundwork's still there. We've just gotta always remember. Happy Christmas!" Ron smiled and gently closed the car door, stepping away from it as Hermione put the car in gear.
Inside the car, Hermione's hand slowly came to her mouth, and she began to sob loudly, her shoulders convulsing with her tears. She eventually pulled off the road, into a gas station parking-lot, covered her eyes and allowed herself to cry all the tears she'd bottled up inside since her seventh year at Hogwarts. She let it all out. There was no doubt in her mind, that it was the best Christmas present ever, better than any diamond or jewel her husband could procure, and it was exactly what she needed to go on another day.
As Ron watched her pull away, he began to think back of seventh year, after he and Harry and the others had left to go fight the Death Eaters. Hermione, could not go, having been elected to stay with the remaining teachers and help them destroy the magical effects of Hogwarts. She had grasped Ron's hand from outside the Hogwarts Express and had stared at him despairingly. "I wish I could go with you! It might sound foolish, but I've got this awful feeling that if you leave, something terrible will happen to you!" Ron had laughed and had leaned further out the window to brush her cheek with his finger. "Its okay, 'Mione. Soon it'll be over. But don't you forget about me." He said seriously. "Don't you forget. Wait for me, 'cause I swear that I'll be back, no matter what. Wait for me?" He asked. Hermione nodded, her tears slipping down her cheeks. Then Ron had leaned out the window, so that his whole upper body was leaning out of the window, much to the dismay of his mother, and then kissed her.
Even as they kissed, the train began to pull away, and Ron had to grip the window-frame to keep from falling from the window and killing himself, but he still held onto Hermione as long as possible. When the train was finally gathering speed and Harry had to pull Ron back through the window, Ron was pleased to notice that Hermione was chasing after the train, her arm waving wildly. Ignoring Harry, Ron leaned out the window, the wind whipping his hair wildly, and waved to her. "I won't forget, Ron! I won't forget!" She had screamed. "I love you, Ron!" Ron had sat back on the windowsill in shock. It was the first time she'd actually said that. When he finally realized it, he was too far away from her. He pulled out his wand, performed a simple echoing charm, and screamed as loud as he could, "I LOVE YOU TOO, HERMIONE!" Whether or not she had heard, he would never know.
Ron blinked away tears from his eyes as he stuck his hands in his pockets and shuffled back to his car. But as he did so, he suddenly stared ahead of him. There was a cart, careening towards him as if it had a life of its own. He jumped out of the way and avoided it as it sped down the snowy avenue and towards the road. He heard a childish shout not far away, and from his place on the ground, he saw the little boy run past him, his arms waving wildly. "STOP!" He screamed. The cart screeched to a halt and a moment later, the boy's parents came running up to him.
"Elliot! How many times have we told you? None of that in public! What if a Muggle saw you?"
"Oh Mum! A Muggle wouldn't notice! They would just think I'd pushed it too fast. I didn't mean too though, honestly Mum!"
The woman sighed and shook her head, placing her arms around the boy. Her husband however, was staring stiffly and unbelievingly at Ron, who was still lying on the ground. The man's face was now white and he was working his lips nervously. The woman and the boy now froze, realizing his presence. Ron slowly brought himself to his feet and walked towards them. The man's eyes flickered and he closed them, trying to rid himself of his fear.
As Ron approached him, the man smiled nervously and said, "Silly kid! He's always pushin' the cart too fast. Got away from him that time. We'll hafta work on that. Sorry 'bout that, sir." Ron simply smiled and nodded, leaning down to look at the boy, who stared at him with a frightened air. "You know what you could do? Next time, you could put a Vitalis charm on it, and then it would speed around the place and chase Muggles into their cars. That would be fun, what?" The man and woman started violently, but the boy grinned. "Really? That would be FUN!" He said enthusiastically. Ron nodded, his grin still on his face. "That it would, lad, that it would. But still, we've gotta watch what we do around Muggles. Its still dangerous." The boy nodded seriously
"I know. I try not to do stuff like that, but its hard, hard trying to hide who you really are." Ron smiled gently, his eyes softening. "Yeah it is. Listen kid, never stop practicing magic. You might have to pretend to be a Muggle, but thats not what you are, and its never what you will be. Okay?" The boy nodded enthusiastically. Harry slowly raised himself to look at the two parents, who were watching him closely. "You in Hogwarts?" Ron asked. The man and woman nodded. "We finished school a year before the war started. I was in Gryffindor. Branwyn was in Ravenclaw. We've been trying to teach Elliot a little bit of magic, but its becoming harder to remember."
Ron nodded and put his hand on the man's shoulder. "Listen, sometime, you should come over to my house. We've got so many illegal magic books and such stuff, you wouldn't believe." The man's face lit up and he grinned at the woman. "Really? Thank you, so much! We'd love for Elliot to learn, despite the times." Ron nodded and looked down at the boy. "You wanna get some books about magic, Elliot? And maybe at my house, you can try out my old broomstick." The boy's face lit up and he grinned at his parents, then at Ron. "Thank you so much! I'd love that!" Ron grinned and gave the man his address, then walked over to his car, thinking silently.
Maybe, if we all help each other, and fight for what we believe in, we can still be the people we really are. If we make sure we aren't afraid, then we can get far. Children are the answer. We've gotta teach them, so they won't forget who they are, who they're parents and family members are. We've just gotta try. As Ron started up the car, his mind filled with thoughts of the girl he loved, and the boy who was the future, the snow that was falling, turned into rain and it spattered his car and freezing, almost as if the tears the wizarding world had cried were freezing as hope slowly breathed back into them and brought them back to who they really were.