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, happily ever after would not last, and Hermione is no longer safe in a dangerous world. Will her children find a way to save her before everything in their world is destroyed?
Chapter 25
Ron awoke to the smell of fresh cookies seeping through the floorboards of the Leaky Cauldron. He and Rose had gotten a room there and spent Christmas Eve down at the pub, drowning themselves in firewhiskey. However, Ron was surprised he wasn't the slightest bit sluggish that morning. He quickly through the covers off of him to find Rose's bed empty.
Ron's brow furrowed, wondering where his daughter could be. His question was answered a second later, however, when Rose came busting in the door, carrying two cups of coffee and a plate of cookies.
"Merry Christmas, Dad!" Rose grinned at her father.
"Merry Christmas…" Ron smiled back at her, though he didn't completely agree with what he was saying. It would have been a much more merry Christmas had he been spending it with Hermione and the rest of his family.
Rose put the coffee and cookies down and then turned, rummaging in her bag for something. Finally, she pulled something out, concealing it in her hand. "I got you something…"
"What?" Ron was surprised. He had not even thought to get Rose a present. What a terrible father he was.
"Its just…well…here…" Rose placed what was in her hand in Ron's hand.
Ron opened his fist up to see a small locket, in the shape of a heart. He raised an eyebrow at it before glancing up at Rose. Did she really think he would like a locket? He hated jewelry, let alone girlie jewelry.
Rose seemed to know what her father was thinking and laughed a little. "Open it up…"
Ron opened the locket to find two small pictures that took his breath away. One was of himself and Hermione, clearly on their wedding day, as Hermione was dressed in a beautiful white gown and he was in a tuxedo. The other picture was one of what appeared to be Ron and Hermione with a little girl whom had reddish-brown hair and an infant. The little girl was on Ron's lap and he assumed it was Rose by the smirk on her face, making the little baby tucked in Hermione's arms Hugo. Ron smiled, glancing back up at Rose for an explanation.
"It was mom's locket. You gave it two her on her twenty-eighth birthday. It's your wedding picture and the first picture we ever had taken as a family. She gave it to me…right before Draco took her. I thought you might like it." Rose explained.
"They are muggle pictures." Ron noticed the photos were not moving.
Rose nodded. "You said you wanted to give her something to remind her of where she came from, and how proud you were of her…look at the back."
Ron turned the locket over to see the words "always a tone of surprise" engraved. He laughed to himself. He knew what those words meant; he and Hermione had said them only months ago on the horcrux hunt. "This is amazing, Rose."
"You're welcome." Rose smiled at her father.
"One question…you had red hair?" Ron joked.
Rose blushed. "It changed when I turned thirteen…thank God…no offense…red just wasn't my thing."
"Of course it is. Red hair is a Weasley thing." Ron joked back.
Rose shrugged. "Not a Rose Weasley thing…"
Ron was silent for a long minute, still holding the locket in his hand. He was unable to look away from the small pictures of himself and Hermione. He missed her. Finally, he glanced back up at Rose. "Why can't we go back?"
Rose sighed. She had a feeling that question was coming. She stood, moving toward the window and glancing out, down at the snow covered streets. "We need to finish this…"
"Finish what? Rose, we think we have them all…if we go destroy them…" Ron started.
"But we don't know." Rose turned to face her father. "And if we go back without knowing then…you may get this Christmas with mom and the next and the next…but it won't matter…because you will lose it. We won't have a future if we don't handle this now…"
Ron swallowed hard and remained silent. He knew she was right. If they didn't do what they were supposed to do their future would be lost. Still, he had his reasoning. "But you said it yourself, when Scorpius told you he was a horcrux…not every single one needs to be destroyed to defeat Voldemort…"
Rose was silent for a moment, biting her lower lip as if contemplating what Ron said. "That's true. But I would like to know what they all are."
Ron said nothing as he watched Rose move away from the window and into the small bathroom. A second later, he heard the shower turn on and he knew Rose would be in there for a while.
Ron sighed, clutching the locket Rose had given him close to his chest and leaning back on his bed, glancing out the window to see the snow falling. He hoped Hermione was watching the same snow.
Scorpius made his way into the living room of the Malfoy Mansion, where a huge tree stood, surrounded by hoards of presents at the base of it. Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco were all already in the living room, sitting between two long couches.
"Someone sleeps rather late…or did someone come in rather late from town last night?" Lucius raised an accusing eyebrow at Scorpius.
"Stopped in the Leaky Cauldron after…" Scorpius lied. "Wanted a drink."
Lucius continued to watch Scorpius but said nothing.
"You should open your presents, dear." Narcissa smiled at her grandson.
"Presents?" Scorpius raised an eyebrow. He had not expected that, especially because he had only arrived there two days ago. Christmas presents were the last thing on his mind.
"Of course. It is Christmas…" Narcissa smiled at her grandson.
"Here." Draco rose from his seat and pushed a pile of presents toward Scorpius.
"That…that was too much." Scorpius did not know what to say. He felt genuinely touched by the presents.
"Just be happy to be getting them, boy." Lucius said, his nose in the air.
Scorpius saw an annoyed look pass over his father's eyes before he diverted his own to the presents in front of him. He had never seen his father annoyed with his grandfather before, but by the look on Draco's face, that was exactly the case.
As Scorpius began to carefully open his first present, Lucius' voice stopped him.
"As I was saying earlier, I suspect that Weasley boy and his half-blood daughter to be behind up to something, Draco…" Lucius was clearly carrying on a conversation that he and Draco had been having earlier, though his eyes were now on his grandson, clearly waiting for Scorpius' reaction.
Scorpius felt as though he had been punched in the stomach by his grandfather's words. He slowly lifted his head, not bothering to finish opening the gift, his eyes locked on Lucius.
"Honestly, what could they possibly be up to? Weasley is as dumb as they come." Draco said, a hint of distain in his voice.
"Why else would they be in Borgin and Burkes?" Lucius asked, his eyes still watching Scorpius. "Perhaps, my grandson could tell us a bit about the Weasley's of the future."
Scorpius swallowed hard but did his best to shrug, as if he were uninterested in the conversation. "I don't know much about Rose. We went to school together, but we were in different houses…"
"Obviously." Lucius snorted. "A Weasley would never be put in Slytherin."
Scorpius did not dare tell his grandfather that he had also not been put in Slytherin, but rather Ravenclaw. He knew that would upset Lucius beyond belief, as it did in the future.
"There is nothing they could suspect." Draco reasoned. "They truly all thing Voldemort is long gone…"
Narcissa seemed to sit up a little straighter at the mention of the dark lord.
"I wouldn't be too sure…the future may hold different facts…ones the young Weasley girl could tell her dimwitted father…" Lucius glanced at Scorpius.
Scorpius shook his head, vigorously, hoping his grandfather would believe his lie. "It doesn't. I…I didn't even know about Voldemort being back…"
"But there is a war waging in your future, is there not? What is it over?" Lucius pressed.
"Its…its about people wanting power…but not about Voldemort…and now about our family. Do you think Hogwarts would let me come back here, knowing our family history, if it were?" Scorpius asked, hoping he had pulled off the lie.
Lucius shook with rage at what his grandson said, and the next thing Scorpius knew, the walking stick, the horcrux he needed was colliding roughly with his arm.
"Do not ever speak poorly of this family's history!" Lucius glared.
"I…I wasn't." Scorpius rubbed the spot he had been hit. "I just…was making a point."
"And a sound one at that." Draco defended his son. "He's right dad, Hogwarts wouldn't trust us if the war had to do with this in the future…"
Lucius seemed to gather his composure now and gave a swift nod. "Nevertheless. I am sending some Death Eaters out after those Weasley's to make certain of it."
"Death Eaters? Aren't they all imprisoned?" Draco seemed genuinely surprised.
"Ah yes, well…I did manage to get a few out. Namely, Yaxley, Dolohov, Rowle, and Greyback…" Lucius said casually.
Scorpius felt a knot turn in his stomach. Of all of those names, Greyback held the most horrific weight.
"Really?" Draco was even more surprised.
"And of course, your friend Goyle offered to help." Lucius seemed pleased.
Draco nodded, not surprised, though not seeming to care much. He had not spoken to Goyle since the end of the Second Wizarding War.
"I think…Dolohov and Rowle can handle this one, however." Lucius rose from his chair. "Excuse me while I send an owl…"
Scorpius watched his grandfather leave the room and felt as though he wanted to throw up. Death Eaters were being sent after Rose and Ron and the pair had no warning, no idea what was to come. Scorpius feared for their lives.
Hermione awoke to the gentle sun shining on her face. She smiled at its warmth and slowly opened her eyes, sitting in bed for a moment and rubbing small circles on her baby bump. When she was certain she would not have morning sickness she rose from bed, a dreadful feeling coming over her as she realized what day it was. Christmas. She had not wanted to spend this day without Ron, but she knew that was how she would face it.
Hermione glanced at herself in the mirror, lifting her shirt to see the barely-there bump. She knew she was starting to look pregnant to others now, and the idea of her stomach continuing to grow was so foreign to her.
"Merry Christmas, baby…" Hermione whispered to her unborn child, rubbing her stomach.
After another long moment, Hermione decided she could wait no longer. She knew she had to go downstairs and face all of Ron's family, without him or Rose.
Hermione slowly made her way down the stairs and could hear loud fits of laughter and voices coming from the kitchen. She entered slowly, finding the small Weasley kitchen unbearably cramped.
"Merry Christmas, Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley moved to kiss the pregnant girl on the head.
Hermione smiled, giving Mrs. Weasley a hug back. "Merry Christmas."
Mrs. Weasley motioned Hermione into a seat next to Mrs. Granger, who bent over and kissed her daughter on the head.
"Merry Christmas, sweetheart." Mrs. Granger whispered.
"Merry Christmas, mum." Hermione said back as she felt her father give her shoulder a squeeze. When she looked at him he gave her a simple smile and a wink before turning back to his conversation with Charlie.
"Alright, we are all here. Lets eat!" Fred spoke up.
"Oh…you shouldn't have waited for me." Hermione felt guilty. She wasn't even really that hungry.
"Nonsense. Weasley tradition." Hugo spoke up, digging into his eggs in a similar manner to the way Ron would.
Watching Hugo eat made Hermione miss Ron even more.
"What other Weasley traditions do we have in the future?" Bill asked, leaning back in his chair.
"Hope they don't have anything to do with these sweaters…" George glanced down at his sweater.
"George…" Mrs. Weasley warned.
"Relax, Grams…the sweaters don't go anywhere." Albus said, nudging Hugo in the gut and causing him to gag on his eggs.
"That's what we like to hear, dear…" Mrs. Weasley ruffled Albus' dark hair.
The talking and sharing continued, but Hermione remained silent, eating just enough of her breakfast to settle her stomach. She was suddenly feeling a bit queasy. As she glanced around the table, she wondered where Ron and Rose sat at such a crammed table. There was hardly enough room for everyone there.
Suddenly, Hermione realized everyone was cleaning up the table around her, and breakfast was over.
"What do we usually do next?" Mr. Weasley asked all of his grandchildren.
"Presents!" Louis spoke up.
The rest of the grandchild glanced around. They knew their arrival had been sudden, and there would be no presents, aside from the fact that they weren't hiding out in half-fallen houses while the Third Wizarding War was raging around them. They were all grateful for that, but they were sure the youngest cousin would not understand.
"We could skip to the snowman building…" Roxanne suggested.
"Lily and Hugo already did that…" Lucy whined. She too, would not understand not having any presents for them.
"So? We can knock them down…who doesn't want to do that?" Teddy spoke up.
"Yeah, ours weren't very good anyway…" Hugo nudged Louis in a teasing manner.
Louis smiled brightly up at his older cousin.
Hermione watched the interaction between Hugo and Louis and it only confirmed what she already knew. She and Ron would make great parents, she just hoped that Ron returned so that she and him could create Rose and Hugo, and parent them together.
"Nonsense. Presents sound wonderful." Mrs. Weasley motioned a confused group of Weasley's plus the Grangers into the small living room where there were a decent amount of presents under the tree.
"Mum, what is this?" Ginny asked as she and Harry moved into the room together.
"I couldn't let no presents sit under the tree, now could I?" Mrs. Weasley smiled up at Mr. Weasley as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Now…there should be one for everyone…Harry, why don't you hand them out?"
"Sure." Harry nodded and moved toward the tree, gathering presents for all of the Wesley's and the Granger's.
"Alright, everyone open!" Mrs. Weasley smiled.
Everyone obeyed and within moments everyone was holding a Weasley homemade sweater.
"Mum, how did you do this?" Charlie asked, slightly amazed.
"I had to work a little magic to get them all done last night…" Mrs. Weasley smiled. "But it was worth it…"
"This is lovely, Molly…" Mr. Granger held up a green sweater. He genuinely seemed to like it.
"Yeah, thanks grams!" Albus, James, and Fred all said at once.
"Not a problem, not a problem." Mrs. Weasley smiled as everyone went back to talking and glancing at their sweaters. No one noticed Mrs. Weasley pull a small, wrapped box out and move over toward Hermione.
Hermione, who was admiring her light purple sweater, glanced up at Mrs. Weasley who was standing in front of her.
"Hermione…I have something else for you…" Mrs. Weasley handed Hermione the box.
Hermione looked confused. "Mrs. Weasley…you didn't have to…"
"Just open it, dear." Mrs. Weasley told her.
Hermione nodded and did as she was told, opening the box to pull out a really tiny moss-green sweater and a small pair of green boots. Immediately, Hermione felt her eyes swell up with tears at the thought of her child, Ron's child, in that sweater. "Mrs. Weasley…you didn't have to do this…"
"Nonsense, dear. That is for my grandchild." Mrs. Weasley smiled brightly and then moved a little closer to Hermione. "Don't show Fleur though…I didn't have enough yarn to make her baby one…" Mrs. Weasley winked.
Hermione laughed between her tears and nodded her head, noticing Mrs. Weasley step aside as Hugo approached Hermione with something wrapped in newspaper in his hand.
"Granny, could you?" Hugo motioned to Mrs. Granger who was sitting next to Hermione.
"Of course, dear." Mrs. Granger smiled and stood, allowing Hugo to take her seat.
Hugo took his grandmother's seat and handed Hermione the wrapped object.
"Hugo…what…" Hermione could feel a fresh wave of tears coming on at the gesture her son had just made. She didn't even know what was wrapped in the newspaper but it didn't matter.
"I…I wanted to give you something…open it up." Hugo told her, fiddling with his own hands in a manner similar to Ron when he was nervous.
Hermione nodded and untangled the newspaper to reveal a small double frame with two pictures in it. Inscribe on the frame were the simple words "My World" and under those words were a picture of what Hermione knew was Ron pushing a little boy with red hair on a swing while a slightly older version of herself sat on the grass in front of Ron and the boy with a little girl with slightly reddish hair. The other picture was one of Hermione herself rather pregnant in a rocking chair with a little girl on her lap. Hermione was reading the girl a book. Both pictures were moving, and in each one, all the occupants looked so happy, their smiles growing larger as Hermione watched them.
Immediately tears swelled in Hermione's eyes. She knew the pictures were of her future with Ron, Rose, and Hugo. She glanced up at Hugo, trying her best to give him the grateful smile he deserved. This was the best present she could have gotten.
"Its…well it's a frame dad gave you on mother's day…a long time ago." Hugo explained when Hermione said nothing. He pointed to the first picture of Ron, Hermione, Hugo, and Rose outside. "That was taken in Uncle Harry's backyard. Aunt Ginny said it was her favorite picture of us."
Hermione nodded, trying her best to talk through her sobs of joy. "Its…beautiful."
Hugo nodded and then moved to the next picture, of a pregnant Hermione with a little Rose in her lap. "And that…well that's dad's favorite picture. You always wanted to change it because it never had me or dad in it…well I guess I am technically in it, but…dad never let you. He said that was his picture of his girls, and he loved it too much."
"It is lovely…" Hermione had to agree, wiping a few tears and smiling as she nodded her head.
"I…I took it out of the house before we left America to go look for you. I don't know why…I just couldn't leave it there, but…now I get why I took it. It was like I was supposed to give it to you, mom." Hugo said, blushing slightly as his eyes dropped to his hands.
"Hugo…" Hermione could only whisper his name as she pulled him in for a huge hug. She held onto him, as if her life depended on it, as if she would lose her son if she did not. "Thank you…"
Hugo nodded into Hermione's shoulder. "Merry Christmas, mom."
"Merry Christmas, Hugo." Hermione finally let her son go.
"Hugo! Come on, we've got a snowman to build!" Lily was yelling to her cousin.
Hugo glanced back at Hermione, clearly torn between his crying mother and his cousins.
"Go." Hermione smiled at him. "Go help them."
Hugo nodded and moved out the door, following Lily who was holding his hat out for him.
Hermione watched the two cousins move out the door and wiped a few stray tears from her face as her own mother and Mrs. Weasley approached.
"Hermione, dear, are you alright?" Mrs. Granger took a seat next to her daughter.
"Look what Hugo gave me…"Hermione handed the frame to her mother.
"They move." Mrs. Granger nodded.
"Wizarding pictures, dear." Mrs. Weasley was standing behind the couch Mrs. Granger was on, examining the pictures herself. "Hermione…are those…"
"Its Ron and I and Rose and Hugo in the future…" Hermione nodded. "Hugo took it from our home…"
"Its…amazing…" Mrs. Granger noted how happy the family in the picture seemed to be.
"Truly. He's such a thoughtful boy…" Mrs. Weasley nodded in agreement, slightly shocked to see the picture of her youngest son in such a fatherly role. He looked perfect. The entire family did. "Its lovely."
Hermione nodded, still smiling as she watched the two pictures. In a way, she was sad because they made her miss Ron and Rose even more, but in another way, the pictures made her feel better. They confirmed what she thought to be true all along. Her family with Ron would be perfect and healthy and happy. It was the best Christmas present Hugo could have given her.
Ron and Rose moved out of Diagon Alley and onto the busy streets of London. Ron and Rose had not talked much since that morning, but Ron as hopeful that Rose was making preparations to head back to the Burrow.
"We should go to Hogsmeade." Rose said suddenly.
"What? Why?" Ron asked. That was not what he wanted to hear.
"Just make sure there aren't any horcruxes there…" Rose said casually.
That was it. Ron tossed his bag angrily on the ground causing Rose to turn at him with an eyebrow raised in slight confusion.
"What is with you and obsessing over these horcruxes? It's Christmas, for bloody sakes! Scorpius said he would let us know if there are any left…and as far as we know we've got them all but the damn stick that Scorpius is getting. I want to go home, I want to see my family—" Ron started.
"So go." Rose said simply. She then turned on her heal and began walking away.
Ron stood there, mouth open slightly before trudging along to catch up to his brown-haired daughter. "I'm not gonna bloody leave you!"
"Then don't." Rose grabbed her father's hand and they apparated to a wooded area near Hogsmeade.
"Bloody hell, Rose!" Ron kicked the snow-covered dirt of the woods that now surrounded them. "Where the hell are we now."
"Near Hogsmeade." Rose began walking off.
"Rose, I don't want to go to Hogsmeade! I want to go to the Burrow. I want to see Hermione and my family. There is no reason to go to Hogsmeade. I know the horcruxes are important but there aren't any left! We got them!" Ron said.
"We don't know that!" Rose turned and snapped. "And I'm sorry but my future…my life…is more important then one fucking Christmas! What part of that don't you get? If we don't do this then me and Hugo and that new baby and you and mom are all gonna fucking die!"
Ron's mouth gapped open but he couldn't formulate any words. He knew Rose was making sense he just didn't want to agree with her.
"And another thing—" Rose turned around to snap at her father, but stopped short, her eyes growing large as she glanced over Ron's shoulder.
"What?" Ron asked, glancing over his shoulder to see Dolohov and Rowle grinning back at him. Quickly he stumbled backward, pulling his wand out and putting himself between the two death eaters and Rose.
"Shit!" Rose grabbed her own wand out. "Alarte Ascendare!"
A rock soared across the air and hit Dolohov right in the side of the face.
"Flipendo!" Rowle shot at Ron, pushing him back into a tree.
"Stupefy!" Rose yelled again at Dolohov who fell back stunned. Rose grinned, glancing over at her father, watching him deal with Rowle.
"Deprimo!" Dolohov growled at Rose while Ron was busy struggling against Rowle.
Instantly, Rose felt a ton of pressure build up over her, crushing her to the ground. Within seconds, she heard the awful sound of her own ribs cracking…one…two…three…
"Stupefy!" Ron roared, casing both Dolohov and Rowle to fall backwards. Instantly he ran forward to Rose, scooping his daughter in his arms and disapparating them back to the Borrow.
A second later, Ron landed in front of the Burrow. It was nighttime, and the lights of the living room of the Burrow were blazing bright. In his arms Rose squirmed and cried in pain. Ron didn't know what to do; he could feel Rose twitching in his arms, and so he yelled the only thing he knew could help. "HERMIONE!"