Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Set in the distant future. Hermione and Ron are about to get married, though Hermione isn't sure if Ron is ready. However, when she is given the chance to see all of her options, Hermione must choose the right path for herself.

CHAPTER 3

Hermione regained her composure with Professor Snape at her side only to realize they were in the bleachers of the Quidditch Pitch at Hogwarts. She glanced around, rather confused. She had never been into sports much, and she couldn't imagine Quidditch had much to do with her future.

"We are fifteen years into the future from the previous future we encountered, Miss Granger…" Snape explained.

"But why…" Hermione started.

Snape only pointed toward the entrance of the bleachers.

Hermione followed Snape's direction and felt as if she were about to throw up as she saw a much older version Harry and Ginny enter the stadium followed by an older version of Ron and Cho. Ron and Cho were holding hands as a little boy clasped tightly to Ron's other free hand.

Hermione let out a gasp as her eyes fell to Cho's left ring finger, silently hoping that she wouldn't find what she thought would be there. Of course, it was. Cho had a beautiful wedding band on around her finger.

"Ah…yes…Weasley and Cho found out they were expecting shortly after Lily Potter was born. Weasley then proposed and the two married that summer…" Snape explained.

Hermione just nodded, silently watching as Ron took a seat, placing the small boy on his lap as Cho sat down next to them. She felt completely numb. Ron had married in this future and he looked like a wonderful husband and father. How had she ever thought to doubt him?

"Today is Weasley and Miss Chang's oldest daughter, Jean's, first Quidditch match as the seeker of the Gryffindor Team…" Snape explained.

Hermione could feel her eyes filling with tears, though the name of Ron's daughter in this future did not escape her. "Jean?"

Snape nodded. "Sometimes you are smart, Granger…Weasley named her after your middle name. It seems, he was not the only person who struggled with your breakup…"

Hermione did not know if she should feel touched or horrified at the thought of Ron naming his eldest child after her own middle name.

"The other child is Arthur…" Ron motioned to the little boy who was now sitting on Ron's lap, oddly the perfect blend of Ron and Cho.

Hermione nodded as she watched Ron cheer on his daughter and played with his young son in his lap, all while occasionally turning to Cho to give her a peak on the cheer, usually when the Gryffindor team did something good. He seemed to always be smiling, and Hermione couldn't help but notice that Jean Weasley seemed to be a far better Quidditch player then her cousin, Lily Potter. She was sure that was something Ron would not let Harry forget.

Before Hermione knew it the game was over, Jean had caught the snitch and was now flying her broom right over to the bleachers, hopping off of it and jumping into Ron's awaiting arms.

"I'm so proud of you, darling!" Ron kissed his daughter on the head.

Hermione could not hold back her tears as she watched Ron's daughter pull away from him, grinning from ear to ear. She had Ron's perfect blue eyes; eyes that Hermione always imagined her children with Ron having.

"Thanks, daddy!" Jean beamed and then moved on to hug Cho.

Hermione watched Cho interact with her daughter, son, and then with Ron. They seemed like the perfect little family, as Ron lifted his son onto his shoulders, the young boy giggling and Cho hugged and kissed her daughter and Hermione couldn't help but feel slightly jealous. That picture was something she had always wanted with Ron.

"Weasley seems happy, doesn't he?" Snape's voice broke Hermione's thoughts.

Hermione simply nodded, afraid that the tears that were threatening her eyes would fall. She would not let Snape see her like that; it was too embarrassing, even if her professor was already dead.

"Well, lets check in and see if you are equally as happy then…" Snape said, grabbing Hermione's hand in a rather rough manner.


Hermione felt her feet land onto a carpet and Snape roughly let go of her hand the same way he grabbed it. She glanced around to see that they were in the same flat they had started off in; her flat of the future. Nothing in it had changed. Everything seemed to be in its exact place as it had been when she and Snape had first gone there.

As Hermione continued to scan the room, desperately looking for a wedding picture or a baby picture; something to prove she had just as a fulfilling future as Ron seemed to have, her eyes landed on an even older version of herself sitting over a stake of papers with the radio on.

"And Jean Weasley seems to be the seeker to compete with this year, ending the Gryffindor's first Quidditch Match against Hufflepuff in fifteen minutes…nearly a school record…" The radio announced.

The older version of Hermione sighed and clicked the radio off as Crookshanks jumped up into her lap; the cat looking as aged as its owner.

"Ron must be proud…" The older Hermione said to Crookshanks as she pet the cat and continued to glance over her papers.

"You have a brilliant job, but it does take many hours of your day to complete it…" Snape said, motioning to the stake of papers on Hermione's desk.

Hermione glanced over the shoulder of the older version of herself to see that the stack of papers looked like a rather lengthy law.

"You are currently working on voting rights for elves…" Snape explained.

Hermione gave a small nod. At least some part of her future seemed rewarding, and she was glad she was helping innocent creatures out.

"Unfortunately all of that work put a damper on your dating availability…" Snape said.

"I'm sure Cormac is a fan of that…" Hermione mumbled, feeling sickened by her own words as she watched the older version of herself continue to jot notes down on the papers spread out across the table.

"Cormac is long in your past at this point…" Snape said.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow at her professor. She was surprised by that, unless the future version of herself had regained her composure and kicked Cormac to the curb.

"He continued with your arrangements for another year after we last saw you. He then met and married a muggle woman and you have not heard from him since…" Snape said.

Hermione felt crushed again. She had evidently not even had the guts to get ride of Cormac and his disgusting ways. In fact, he had left her.

"Why the long face, Granger?" Snape asked.

Hermione sighed, fighting back a small amount of tears. This was not something she wanted to talk to Professor Snape about and yet she knew she had no one else she could confide in at the present moment.

"This…is just not how I pictured my life. I never saw it as being so empty…" Hermione said.

"I wouldn't say it is empty. You have a rewarding career; you are well known for your accomplishments at the Ministry—" Snape started.

"But what does any of that matter if I don't have a family to share it with?" Hermione asked.

Snape just gave Hermione a slight nod and she knew he understood what she was thinking, what she was asking. He must have asked himself the same question every day when he had been alive. He had lost Lily Potter and he had never moved on from her.

"My time with you is up…you will meet your next guide shortly…" Snape told her.

Hermione nodded. "Uh…thank you…professor…"

"Good luck, Miss Granger…" Snape gave a simple nod back.

Hermione wanted to say something more meaningful; she wanted to tell him how much she appreciated all he had done for her, not just with showing her one of her futures, but also for all he had done to help them win the Third Wizarding War. Unfortunately, before Hermione could say another word, everything went black.