Epilogue

Charmed

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A woman around age twenty five could be seen standing on a quiet beach in the dead of night. She stared up into the sky at a beautiful full moon surrounded by stars. Her deep chocolate brown eyes searched the sky calmly. A soft warm breeze blew her pure white sheer gown like clothing. She sunk her toes into the sand, relishing the feeling.

She had grown to be a beautiful woman. Her hair had lost some of its bushy nature and was smoother and more like loose shining curls as they cascaded down her back stopping halfway. She crossed her arms and stared the silent orb that hung in the sky. It reminded her of someone she'd thought she'd forgotten….

It would seem that sometimes the worst thing happening to a person could actually open up their eyes. It would seem that sometimes they had to thank that opposing force for ruining their lives to make their lives much happier. As time went on he may have become a distant memory in the back of her mind, a part of her would never forget him. She had a lot to thank him for.

She looked at her hand, a beautiful engagement diamond ring sat proudly on her left hand accompanied by a wedding band. The moon seemed to reflect its light creating a prism of colors on the white diamond. She sighed, her breath being carried away by another gentle wind and into the vast dark sea.

Hermione Granger was now Hermione Weasley.

In fact they'd gotten married earlier this same day. She'd never thought she'd be married….especially not to him. But now she felt like the happiest woman in the world. Since their seventh year they'd begun dating and it took him eight years to ask her to marry him. She smiled to herself as she remembered how he proposed. He'd been acting strangely that entire month, claiming it was stress from his chosen career path. She'd scoffed and told him her job was much more stressful. Then suddenly he just blurted out the question, holding the ring box out to her. He was the only person she could see doing such an abrupt proposal. But at least he'd gotten on one knee first. More so than what Harry'd done from what his wife had told her. Ginny told her horror stories about the various ways he'd asked her to marry him, she couldn't believe any of them.

She sat down in the sand and let her toes be gently washed over by the sea, the cool liquid licking the sand from her feet. It was peaceful out here, she was glad she'd demanded they have their honeymoon here.

She hugged her knees close to her chest and stared once again at the moon, it seemed overly bright tonight. Maybe it was just her imagination giving the circumstances. This would be she and Ron's first night together…the thought made her anxious.

Her eyes fell on the waves crashing against the nearby rocks that dotted the island. She wondered about the future. How would she and Ron be as a married couple? How many children would they have? Why was she allowed to have a happy ending when so many others had not?

The wind ran its nimble fingers through her hair. She brushed it from her eyes and stared at the water. It seemed so calm, so vast. Suddenly a thought crossed her mind.

She stood and began to walk slowly toward into the water until it was up to her waist. The ocean spray gently tickled her nose. She spread out her arms, the wind blowing her long loose sleeves giving her the appearance of an apparition or an angel.

Lying on her back she let the water float her outward into its vastness for a while, she stared up at the moon as it loomed over her, it's luminescence throwing her into a mystified state. The water's gentle stillness did not move her from her spot unless she swam.

Her fingers caressed the water, and then something caught one of her fingers. She sat up in the ocean, bobbing slightly from the buoyancy and brushed her now wet hair from her face.

Laced around her fingers was a chain..no a bracelet, an open bracelet. Its catch seemed to be broken. It looked completely new, as if someone had recently dropped it. It was a charm bracelet. Her memory jogged slightly. No….this bracelet hadn't been recently dropped. It had broken off of someone's wrist. His wrist. How did it make it here? Then again. But…this bracelet had been in the ocean for years..why did it still look remotely new?

"Wow.." she muttered running her fingers over the delicate chains..seven of them all still correctly in place. She stared at the broken catch and it slowly repaired itself.

She could hear a voice on the shore. A woman's voice, it was soft and gentle. Then another voice joined it, it was a man's voice. She looked toward the shore and saw two people standing near the shoreline, they seemed to be embracing each other. It was something strangely familiar about them.

Almost urgently she swam toward the shore. The man reached out his hand to help her out as she reached the shore. She took his hand and walked out of the water, her crinoline white clothes were soaked and her hair hung in tendrils around her face.

"Thank you." She muttered looking up into the face of the man. She was suddenly taken aback. The man was young..wait no..that couldn't be right.

"I think she has figured it out." The young man's voice was very familiar. He looked over at the young woman he was standing beside, his arm around her waist.

"Hello..?" Hermione blinked looking from the man to the woman. She was a beautiful woman, with enchanting lavender eyes and long brown hair. Was she truly seeing things now?

"I think that belongs to me.." the young man said calling her attention back to him. She looked into his silver eyes and automatically held out the bracelet.

"Thank you." He took it from her hand without even touching her and slid it over his wrist.

"Richard?" Hermione breathed looking from one to the other.

A small silent smile came across his lips, he looked over at the woman …Abigail…again. She chuckled softly.

"We have to go now…thank you for finding it..we expected you to go here, it is a nice place for a honeymoon we know.." she looked over at Richard again. He seemed to roll his eyes slightly. She smiled.

"But….wait..what…I thought…"Hermione's mind raced. Where they really here? Were they really standing in front of her? She'd been able to touch him…they couldn't be ghosts..but hadn't they left to the farplane? And there was something strange about them now…not an eerie kind of strange. They appeared differently..but what was it?

"I'm sorry Hermione…"

She looked up at him again. "For what?" she asked stupidly. For what? For everything that he'd done. For killing her. For hurting her friends. For causing the beginning of her seventh year to be a living nightmare.

"For everything that I did to you…" he said raising his eyebrows as if he thought that were a stupid question. Abigail gently touched her shoulder causing her to jump slightly from surprise.

"That night…that terrible night we gave you our life's essence..we told you to live for us…and you have…we thank you as we also apologize." She gave her a small smile and nodded. She still possessed that undeniable grace, that glow that made her more beautiful than anyone Hermione had ever seen.

"I don't understand…" Hermione blinked, crossing her arms. The ocean's breeze was cold against her cold skin and thin wet clothes.

"Maybe you never will…" Richard said watching her calmly. She stared at him for a moment. The last time she'd looked into his face he was trying to kill her. He'd been shrouded in darkness and hatred. This Richard was almost completely different. Sure he carried himself as he always did…wearing completely black, hair covering his face slightly. But he seemed…maybe that's what Ron meant when he'd told her what he'd seen while she was 'out of it'. Hermione suddenly looked away and at her wedding ring.

"Mrs. Hermione Weasley…how nice." Abigail commented, watching her intently. "We know." She added softly, her words washed away by the wind so that Hermione did not hear them.

"Perhaps we shall meet again.." Richard said taking Abigail's hand, their bracelets shining in the moonlight.

What was it about them that had changed? It was so subtle…she couldn't place it….they seemed…

"Hermione!"

They all looked in the direction of the sound; it was a figure coming toward them down the beach, walking a bit quickly.

"Oh that must be Ron." Hermione looked back at them to tell them. They were gone. She blinked.

"Hermione I was wondering where you were." Ron said as he reached her.

Ron had grown even taller. His red hair once again rested handsomely at his shoulders framing his matured attractive face. His blue eyes looked down at her with what could be noted as love and only that.

"I told you I was going down to the beach for a moment." She said.

"Yeah but that was like….an hour ago….I got a bit worried that you may have flung yourself into the ocean and drowned." Ron shrugged. His build had become more athletic, which complimented his lanky frame.

"Funny." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm probably right….you're soaked." Ron said pushing her wet hair behind her ears and kissing her forehead. "Who were those two people you were talking to?"

"Eh…I'll tell you later." She said, that would be the best idea. He usually wasn't very fond of mentions of Richard. If she'd told him that he'd just come up to her on the beach and got his bracelet from her…which she had no explanation how she'd gotten it. He'd probably be so upset he'd go to bed early without following a specific tradition. Then again…maybe not.

"Oh….okay." Ron placed his hands on her shoulders and looked over her. "Why exactly are you wet?"

"I wanted to float in the ocean. You don't mind do you?" she smiled up at him mischievously.

"I like it better that way." He countered pulling her close and kissing her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, getting lost in his touch. The wind blew around them gently.

Suddenly Ron picked her up bridal style.

"Ron…you're stronger than I thought." She giggled holding onto him around his neck.

"I could say the same bout you….bloody hell did you have to punch me last week?" he joked, kissing her lips briefly.

"Yes. You knew better than to joke about losing the rings." She pecked him softly, her lips brushing his gently.

"You ready?" he asked beginning to carry her back to the beautiful resort hotel they were staying in that was situated a cliff overlooking the sea. They themselves had a beautiful honeymoon suite with a beautiful view.

Hermione lay her head on his shoulder. "For what exactly?" she said, she knew exactly what he meant, and her cheeks tinged red.

"Hehehehe you know what I mean."

He carried her toward the hotel. She looked over his shoulder at the beach.

What was so different about them? Why did it bother her so much that she could not figure it out?

She let it go, whether they were the past or a future of some strange sort, she had to let it go. Her mind was focused on the moment. A moment that would begin a new future for them..

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A/N: Sniffle…

Well…I must admit I had a bit different epilogue planned but as I began to write..it just came out. Now then..I guess that's it. I had a lot of fun writing this story, and reading everyone's reviews. I want to thank all of the readers who stuck with the story from when I started writing it in 2006 up until now. And I want to thank the new readers who just started reading a few days ago. I feel like there's something missing from the ending..if I figure it out I'll be sure to fix it. Hmm..what else. Oh yeah. Are you all ready for Saturday?! We all knows what happens Saturday right? I'm glad, at least something will take my mind off the pain in my right and left arms since I had to get like 6 shots all in the same day. Damn I hate needles. Painful every time. Even if the doctor says it's not. But I'll look at the bright side…at least all of you will have to go through that one day mwhaahhhhahahhh...

Anyway thanks everyone and I guess this is the end? Hmm…tell me your thoughts, theories, and all. Review review review. Don't forget to Review the chapter before this one…yep….

Well that'll be all.

Goodwitch2008