Green and Gray

Forever Ago Part II

Hermione shuddered as she loving ran her fingers down one of Ron's old sweaters. There was a tightness in her chest that had settled there two months ago and hadn't left. When she'd woken up in St. Mungo's, she had been too weak to be told, but in the pit of her stomach she'd already known. In the deepest part of her, she had known the moment Ron left her side during the battle that it would be the last time she saw her husband alive. She had never realized that it was possible to hurt this badly.

Shame gripped her as she remembered the woman who had made this sweater. Molly. She and Arthur had lost three children—four if you counted Percy, who would rot in Azkaban for the rest of his life. The last time she had seen her, Molly was still in shock. She spoke of Ron, Charlie, and Ginny as if they were still alive, even making Ginny's bed each morning. Ginny had been in her sixth year and shown such promise. Then there was Charlie, who had been such a kind man with a sense for adventure. Ron…Oh God, she couldn't think about Ron.

Hermione Granger had loved Ron Weasly from the moment she met him. Even when he was being a prat, he made her come alive. Ron had made her realize that there were more important things than studies.

Time faded back. She was seventeen and staring at the love of her life. Ron had taken her to the opera (tickets courtesy of one Draco Malfoy) and fallen asleep before the first song was through. The couple behind them had taken exception with his snoring, and angrily kicked the back of his seat. Ron shot out of his seat and cried, "What was that for?" They were both asked pointedly to leave. He had been so embarrassed by the whole thing that she couldn't even summon up one of her famous lectures.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I really am," he told her as they wandered the streets of muggle London. "You deserve that kind of thing….uh, not the getting booted out part, but the opera part. You deserve to be wined and dined and all of that. I wanted to give you a nice night."

"Really Ron, I don't need all that. Besides, being escorted out of the opera by two large ushers was quite the adventure. I never need entertainment when you're around," she said with a laugh. She took his hand in hers and kissed his fingertips.

"Most of our adventures are Harry-related-events." He twined a piece of her hair between his fingers.

"But I went along for you," she whispered.

Clearing his throat, he took his tie off. Her breath caught as he dropped to one knee. His hands shook as he opened a small black box to reveal a modest diamond ring. "I know our lives are hectic, but I love you very much. Hermione Granger, will you be my wife?"

"Oh, Ron," she sighed.

"I'm sorry, Mione! God, I shouldn't rush you. Forget I said anything," he begged frantically.

She shook her head. "No, I want to be your wife. Ron, I love you too. I just never expected…"

A smile played across his boyish face, and he wasted on time before pushing the ring on to her finger. "I'm the luckiest man alive."

The ring fit perfectly, and gleamed like a dream on her hand. "It's so beautiful!"

"It was my mum's. When I told my parents about asking you, she wouldn't hear of me buying a ring. Maybe one day, we'll have a son. He can give it to a woman he loves just as desperately as I love you."

The memory hurt. Hermione sobbed as she stared at that same ring. It was no longer a dream of the future, but a sad reminder of what should have been. Everything she had once loved was gone. She had honestly meant what she had told Draco about him being all that she had. All of her friends were gone, save Draco, Sevrus, and Neville. Her family had disowned her when she refused to abandon the magic world during the war. She cried bitterly for what had once been.

Everyone had suffered. Not one person had made it out of the war unscathed. Sevrus had lost Remus. Draco had lost Harry and his face. The Weaslys had lost too much. Pain prevailed in a time that had once promised such joy. They had all fought and bled for the hope that life could be better without the darkness hanging by a thread over them. Never did they dream that it would end up like this. Once they had believed in the simple truth that the good guys could win the day and live happily ever after, but that was a long time ago.