A year and a half had passed since the conquer over Voldemort, and everyone was happy. Hermione had gotten a job in the Ministry after going back to Hogwarts with Ginny and missing Harry and Ron (whom had both decided to get jobs right away) terribly. She was nineteen years old and she had already freed a number of house-elves. She lived in a flat in Diagon Alley, very near to Muggle London where her parents lived, whom she had brought home from Australia safely.
Ron was helping George with the joke shop, though he hoped to eventually become an Auror. He lived above Weasley Wizard Wheezes and shared a flat with George and Harry.
Harry was getting more than enough attention. Reporters would bombard him with questions everywhere he turned. Sometimes he was forced to use his Invisibility Cloak to simply leave his flat. He was working at the Ministry, a minor delivery boy-type job, which he preferred at the moment. He also wanted to become an Auror, but he wanted to take the training with Ron.
Ginny was still living at the Burrow. She told everyone who asked that she wasn't quite ready to leave, and her parents quite agreed. Despite this, she still was seeing Harry, and she would visit the shop every other day.
Teddy Lupin was being raised by his grandmother, but Harry made sure he visited him on a regular basis. Hermione often saw him a lot too, for Harry would drag them all to see him.
Bill and Fleur were expecting their first child, due in four months time. Hermione thought it was wonderful, and was determined she would help whenever she could.
One day, the whole family was meeting at number twelve, Grimmauld Place for a get – together.
When Hermione arrived, the house was already filled with everyone she loved. Molly Weasley came down the stairs, greeting her with a huge hug like always. Hermione hugged her back, feeling like she was truly home.
Harry, Ginny, and George were all talking in the corner by the staircase. They all looked up and grinned at her.
Hermione strolled over to them, her face lit up. "Hi…Sorry, I was late…I just had so much work to do…" she hugged each of them in turn, and didn't miss Harry rolling his eyes when he thought she wasn't looking. "Has anyone seen Ron?"
Harry nodded. "He's in the kitchen talking with Bill and Fleur." Hermione smiled her gratitude and turned the corner to the kitchen.
She heard Ron's voice talking about the joke shop. "…so if we bring in more Puking Pastilles…I mean, according to Harry's calculations…we could bring the demand up by thirty percent!"
"You've certainly gotten cleverer over the years," Hermione said, walking into the kitchen. Ron's eyes lit up at the sight of her, and she kissed him softly on the lips.
"I'm not stupid," Ron muttered, slightly put out.
Hermione grinned broadly. "I know. How's the baby, Fleur?"
Fleur looked disgruntled. "My feet 'urt, and zis baby's making me feel like I'm carrying around a twenty-pound zack! Ozzer zen zat, everyzing's marvelous!"
Hermione wasn't sure whether to laugh or not. Fleur, who had always liked her, turned away, her silver hair flying, and stormed off. Bill, however, looked quite amused, but apologetic.
"Sorry about her. She's been getting moodier and moodier as her pregnancy has gone on."
"BEEL!"
Ron and Hermione started at the sound of Fleur's voice, but Bill looked calm. "That's my cue. Excuse me."
Bill left, but before Hermione could say anything to Ron, Harry came into the kitchen and said, "Ron, Hermione, Percy wants you to come into the drawing room. Says he's got an announcement." When Ron and Hermione gave him a questioning look, Harry shrugged and left the room. Hermione smiled at Ron, and he put his arm around her shoulders before they both entered the drawing room.
Everyone was gathered in the small room. Arthur and Charlie Weasley were on the sofa, having an animated conversation about dragons. They both smiled at her when she entered, which she returned. Andromeda Tonks was sitting in the corner, talking with Molly. Teddy Lupin was on Ginny's lap, who was sharing an armchair with Harry by the fire. Bill and Fleur were on the other sofa, Fleur looking exceptionally irritated. George was off by himself in another armchair, staring off into space. Percy and his girlfriend, Audrey, a beautiful but slightly bold girl with dark hair, were standing in the middle of the room, waiting for everyone to arrive.
Ron and Hermione sat on the third sofa opposite of Harry and Ginny's armchair. Harry caught Hermione's eye and winked, obviously still teasing her and Ron about finally getting together. Hermione rolled her eyes and kept her attention on Percy.
"Alright, I need everyone's attention!" Percy said commandingly, and Hermione was reminded of the days when he was Head Boy at Hogwarts. Everyone stopped talking and stared at Percy. "Alright. I'm just going to say it. Audrey and I are engaged."
There was an instant uproar after a millisecond pause. Molly completely broke down into tears, and most everyone in the room was shaking Percy's hand and hugging Audrey, saying, "Congratulations!" and "Good for you!"
After this commotion settled, Arthur rose and said, "I think this calls for drinks and a toast!" He waved his wand and a tray of firewhiskey zoomed into the room. Everyone took a glass and rang out: "To Percy and Audrey!"
There was much chatter after this; Hermione barely remembered any of it. There was celebrations and more chatter, and Hermione simply went with the flow that was coming at her.
After the festivities were done and most everyone had left, Molly came up to Hermione. The only people who were left at Grimmauld Place were Molly and Arthur, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and herself.
"Hermione dear, there's a boggart in the drawer of the desk in the drawing room upstairs again," Molly said. "I feel like they're breeding up there…anyway, do you think you can sort it out? I fear the last time I faced a boggart, one of my fears came true."
And the subject came up, just like that. Fred.
Hermione patted her on the back before the tears could come. "No problem, Mrs. Weasley."
"Please dear, it's Molly now. You're part of the family now."
Hermione smiled faintly. "Not until it's official." Molly smiled. She knew what Hermione was talking about: marriage. Secretly, Hermione was hoping to the heavens that Ron would propose eventually; the sooner, the better.
Hermione climbed the stairs to the room where the boggart was, her wand out at the ready. She hadn't faced a boggart in almost six years, and she had a feeling that her worst fear had definitely changed.
She crept into the drawing room and cautiously opened the drawer the boggart was in.
The minute the boggart saw her, it swirled into a mini-tornado in the air, as if it couldn't decide what her worst fear was. Hermione waited; she didn't know why she wasn't taking this chance to do something about it. She figured she wanted to know what her worst fear was now after all these years; she definitely knew it wasn't Mcgonagall telling her she had failed all her classes.
The boggart finally became Ron lying on the ground, clearly dead.
Hermione stared at it and tried to concentrate on something happy. It's just a stupid boggart…come on…you can do this…
"R-Riddikulus!" Nothing happened more than the boggart changing into Harry's dead body. Hermione could feel the tears coming to her faster than she could stop them. She began to believe they were really dead. Ron and Harry dead…no…
"Riddikulus! RIDDIKULUS!" The boggart simply changed into both Ron and Harry's dead bodies…they hadn't known what had hit them…
She reduced to hysterical sobs, at which point Ron came into the room, shouting, "Ridikulus!" before the boggart could turn into his worst fear and evaporating the boggart into thin air.
"Hermione, I'm right here, I'm not dead, it's fine!" Ron took her into his arms and squeezed her. "Harry's downstairs and he's fine too! We're all alive!"
Ron had seen the boggart and was obviously trying to make her feel better. Hermione sobbed harder at this and squeezed him tighter. He was stroking her hair, occasionally mumbling, "We're all fine, no one's dead…"
Hermione finally surfaced and looked into his eyes. "I didn't know that was my worst fear. The last time I saw a boggart, it was McGonagall telling me I had failed everything. I had no idea..." Fresh tears started to fall and she stifled a sob. "I would never be able to bare it if you or Harry died. I would die myself. You're my best friends." Hermione gave a small smile and Ron tried to smile back.
"Hermione, me and Harry are never going to leave you. The war's over, and now there's nothing threatening our lives, so we're fine." He embraced her again, and she hugged his neck. "I want to move in with you."
If she hadn't heard it come out of her own mouth, she wouldn't have believed she had said it. Ron let go of her. "What?"
Hermione beamed. "I want to move in with you. We've been dating for eighteen months and I think it's time." Hermione looked eagerly at him.
Ron grinned back. "This is mad," he whispered.
Hermione looked confused. "What is?"
"That I could've gotten to be with the most amazing girl in the world," Ron grinned. "Never thought I could deserve it."
Hermione grabbed his hand and together, they Disapparated to Diagon Alley.
