Ch 16: Dreaming of You
That night, Hermione had a dream. It went something like this. . . . .
Hermione was sitting in a white room with a bright light shining down on her. Her eyes took a few moments to focus, before she saw a dark figure moving toward her. The figure removed the cloak that it had been wearing to reveal a tall young woman who looked to be about Hermione's age. The woman had almond eyes with long, flowing auburn curls. Her face was littered with faint freckles stretching across the bridge of her nose. She looked very familiar, but Hermione couldn't place who she was.
The tall girl gestured for Hermione to follow her, and as she stood, glided away quickly. Hermione had a very dificult time keeping up with the girl and begged her continually to slow down, but the girl simply looked at her and smiled. It was a smile that Hermione knew well, but still could not place.
They wandered on for a long while before coming upon a seemingly empty field. Hermione glanced around and when she looked back the girl was pointing to something hidden in tall grass. Hermione walked toward what the girl was pointing to and discovered a small headstone. She didn't understand. She looked back up and the girl was standing beside her. The girl pointed once again and as Hermione looked at the stone words were appearing. It read. . . . . .
Emma Genevieve Weasley
January 7, 2001-August 12, 2002
Beloved daughter, neice and grandchild
"In our hearts, you shall remain"
Hermione gasped, suddenly understanding. The girl standing beside her was her daughter, or at least, who she would have become.
"Emma..." Hermione squeaked. The girl began to fade, turning into a baby, Hermione's baby, before waving a small hand and disappearing. . . . . . . .
"EMMA!" Hermione screamed, sitting bolt upright in bed. Ginny was sitting beside her, as was Harry and to her surprise, Draco. They all looked worriedly at her and Ginny, who was holding her hand, began to stroke it gently. Hermione lay back down, breathing ragged. She looked over at Ginny, still feeling drowsy from the potion and asked, choking back tears, "Is she really gone?"
Ginny nodded solemnly and wiped a tear from her eye. The four of them sat in silence until Madam Pomfrey asked Ginny, Harry and Draco to leave so that Hermione could rest a bit more. Draco lingered behind for a few moments, before glancing sadley at Hermione and leaving the room.
"I don't need to rest." Hermione said, trying to get out of the bed. "What I need is my daughter and my life back."
"Now, Hermione. Please, just trust me. You've lost something very dear to you. now you must rest. Emma wouldn't want you to overwork yourself again."
At the sound of Emma's name, Hermione once again burst into tears. She sobbed for almost an hour straight before falling into another restless sleep.
Ch 17: Truly Gone
Hermione woke, once again more exausted then when she went to sleep, to find Draco sitting at her bedside, stroking her hand gently. He had just been thinking of how fragile and small she looked lying in the hospital bed, when he saw her open her eyes.
"Morning." He drawled slowly, with a hint of sorrow in his voice. He had to act happy as Madam Pomfrey had instucted anyone to visit. They had to act as happy as possible, so as not to upset Hermione even more. He didn't know how well he was going to be able to do that when the only person that he loved in this world was hurting so badly. He tried to put the mournful thoughts out of his mind, but his plan was demolished as he looked into Hermione's pained eyes. "How're you feeling?" he asked, attempting to sound as casual as possible.
"How am I doing?" Hermione echoed venemously. "How the hell do you think I'm doing?" she asked with tears threatning to spill once again. God, he hated seeing her like this. It made him furious at the world. "I just lost my daughter, MALFOY," she stressed his last name, "She was the only thing that's kept me going theses past two years. Now she's gone and..." she was now crying uncontrollably. "and I want her back" she choked out.
Draco pulled her to him and stroked her long curls as she cryed on his shoulder. "Everything's going to be ok, Hermione. This feeling...of being alone in the world...it will eventually go away."
Hermione lifted her eyes to his gaze. "I don't want it to go away. If it does, then she goes with it."
"She may not be here anymore physically, but she'll always be with you, Hermione. As long as you live, Emma will be by your side. She's watching over you. . . .making sure you survive all that life throws at you. She...she would want you to be happy"
"How can I be happy? My husband nearly kills me every time I see him, you picked up and left me alone for so long, Ginny has Harry and they don't have time for some bitter 20 year old as a friend and...and...I just lost my daughter."
"I know that it seems like nothing will ever make you happy again, but sometime, somewhere...something or someone is going to come along and make you content again. Wether it be 20 yrs from now or 20 mins, it will happen in it's own time. You may at times feel as though all you want is to see yourself bleed...just...end it all in one quick flick of your wand, but it will pass and you will always have memories of Emma within you." As draco continued talking of death and how you'll eventually move on, Hermione's gaze fell onto a puffy scar on his wrist.
"What's that?" she said, interupting his speech and pointing at the scar. Draco quickly pulled the sleeve of his robe down to cover it and said. "I have conquered my demons. Now, it's your turn"
Ch 18: Conquering Her Demons
It had been two years since Emma's death and Hermione had at best, come to terms with it. She and Ron met once again, but were amazingly civil to one another. It was at Emma's funeral that they met and no one had seen or heard from him since. . . . . .
"Hermione, " Draco said, taking her arm gently. "Come on, it's time to go. We have to be there in an hour."
Hermione looked once again around the apartment that she and Draco had been sharing for the past year to make sure that they hadn't forgotten anything. After she was positive that she had everything they needed, she followed him out to the car. They were taking muggle transportation because it was the easiest way to go without messing up your clothing or hair. The actual funeral for Emma had taken place about a month and a half after her death, but they decided to go back and give her another ceremony. This time, instead of having the priest speak, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry would be talking about Emma. They would each eulogize her in their own way.
Draco and Hermione arrived at Hogsmeade Cemetary, where the service was being held, about 45 minutes later. Draco went immidiately to sit, but Hermione stayed behind to greet those who had come to pay their respects. After countless apologies for her loss, Hermione finally took a seat and the ceremony commenced. Ginny was the first one to speak. . . . .
"This ceremony, as you all know, is in honor of Emma Genevieve Weasley, an unfourtunate child who never truly got her chance to live. Emma was only 19 months old, but she had a wonderful personality all the same. Her peircing almond eyes could look deep within your soul and you wouldn't even know. Emma was always a very happy child and I am saddened that I must now live without ever seeing her precious smile again. As it says here on her headstone, In our hearts, she shall always remain. Thank you."
Ginny then sat with a glint of a tear in her eyes. Harry then made his way up to the podium and made a beutiful speech about Emma's enlightning heart and then it came time for Hermione to speak. . . .
"Emma. . . ." her voice faltered a bit, but she continued anyway. "Emma was truly the light of my life. Not many of you know this, but without her, I would probably be dead. You're probably thinking 'How can a baby save someone's life?'. and well, it's simple actually, she gave me a reason TO live. After struggling through an abusive relationship with her father, Emma and I set out on our own. I was always in a foul mood, but then I would look at her smiling and all of my troubles would simply melt away. She had that effect on you. For only a child, she seemed wise far beyond her years. I remember numerous occasions when I would be in a rotten mood or have a lot on my mind, and she would simply wrap her small arms around me...holding me in her warm embrace. Many nights I cried and she lay by my side, simply staring up at me, as if to say that everything was going to be alright. It took time, but my wounds for her have finally healed. Someone wise once told me . . . " She glanced briefly at Draco. "that even though a person is gone physically, they will always remain with you. I dodn't always understand it, but I've come to realize what it means. It means that even though she is gone, we still have a space left for her in our hearts. There, she will prosper. She will always be watching over us and guiding us. When we make a big decision, or even a simple one, she is there by our side. All I ever wanted for Emma was for her to be happy...to have a good life. Well, " Tears began straming down Hermione's face. "her life was cut short. Often times...I, I wondered, why? Why not...why not me? Instead of her? I even thought very seriously about joining her on the other side, but I knew deep down, that she wouldn't want that. It wasn't my time yet. And now, after almost two years of grieving, I am ready to let go. I am finally ready to move on to the next chapter in my life, for I know that's what she would have wanted. . . . . . " Hermione paused for a long while before saying, "Today would have been Emma's third birthday, so please join me in saying Happy Birthday Emma Genevieve Weasley!" Hermione headed back to where Draco sat and gave him a quick kiss as they , and everyone else, left for the reception. . . . . . .
Ch 19: Life Goes On
Hermione and Draco entered the Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the reception following Emma's memorial service. Hermione walked wuickly over to Harry and Ginny and, in turn, gave each a hug.
"Thank you so much, you guys. Those speeches were beautiful. Emma would have loved it."
"No problem Hermione." Harry said. "I uh I've been meaning tto ask you...WE'VE been meaning to ask you. Will you be the god-mother for our child?" Harry asked, gesturing toward Ginny's now rounded belly.
"You guys!" she squealed, "I'd love to. I am so honored that you would even consider me."
"Who else would we have in mind, Hermione? You're the only one who's always been there and been through thick and thin with us...You were the perfect choice" Harry said, as he watched Ginny run off to the bathroom, obviously to let go of her lunch. He supressed a giggle and only smiled slightly as he headed off to tend to his wife.
Draco then pulled Hermione around to face him and wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. "I'm proud of you." he said, staring into her almond eyes. They seemed younger than they had only years before...there wasn't as much pain in them. "That was really brave of you. . . .getting up there like that. I also loved your speech." He then brought his face down to hers and placed a sweet kiss on her full lips. He then pulled away slowly and said, I'm going to go mingle a bit. You good?"
"Yes, go ahead." she smiled as her fiance walked to a group of his old friends and began to talk. How could it be that only two years after her daughter's death, Hermione could feel this happy. She decided to go out to the lake and stood looking over the clear blue waters deep in thought.
Ginny walked up behind her and said "Hermione? Are you ok?"
"I will be..." Hermione said as she watched Ginny take a seat on the grass next to her. I love you Emma she thought, And I will never forget you. Hermione had discovered, after so many years of hardship, that life truly does go on. . . . .
The End
