Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Of course, you already knew that.

A/N: Yet another one-shot. I wish I could just sit down and actually finish a multi-chaptered story. Well, anyway, I hope you enjoy this!

Words of a mother

My darling child, you should know that to us, mothers, our children will always be babies in our eyes. And to me, you will always be my baby girl, my only daughter. I remember the day you were born with such clarity, sometimes it feels as if it happened just yesterday. You were this little perfect thing, and when I first held you in my arms I couldn't believe how much I loved you. It was at that moment that I swore to protect you from anything that might harm you. You see, it is only now that I understand that we cannot keep our children from harm and pain, but we can help them to get through it. I'm so sorry if you feel I have failed at both tasks, but I tried to do my best.

Ever since you were a toddler, your father and I knew you were different, special. Not only you were incredible smart for your age, but also it was obvious that your magic was beginning to express itself, though at first we didn't recognized it as such.

When you were only four, you asked about fairy tales. "Are they real? Do dragons and fairies exist? Is there a prince charming?" To the first two questions, I answered "No". I wasn't so sure about the third, because, even though no one is perfect, you father was like a prince charming to me, so I told you "I don't know. We'll see when you find him".

Then, when you turned eleven, the most amazing thing happened. A woman dressed in robes came to our home and told us you were a witch, and there was a vacant for you at a magic school. Your father was so shocked, my dear girl! But I can't say I was really surprised. I think part of me had always suspected it. But letting you go to Hogwarts, not seeing you for over a year, was one of the most painful things I had to do. Every time you sent a letter, you father and I would gather in the kitchen and read out loud every word. When you wrote you had become friends with two boys, your father's reaction was hilarious, darling. He was worried because you didn't get along with your roommates, but I understood. I knew that getting along with those girls you often described as "make-up obsessed" would be almost impossible for you.

You came back for Christmas, and you couldn't stop talking about Harry and Ron, your friends. I admit I was scared when you told us that the boy named Harry was famous for having survived the attack of a powerful Dark Wizard. Little did I know you three would be facing him by the end of the school year. Of course, as you told me, you didn't really face him, but all the same, you put yourself in great danger out of loyalty for your friends. Well, I won't go into detail about everything that happened the next years, because you know better than me all the things you went through. But I will say this, my darling Hermione; with each year that passed I couldn't help but notice the strange things that kept happening in your wizarding world. The worst of all was that I knew you would get more than involved, because both of your friends were.

But not everything was worries, my girl. I had the joy of seeing my baby turn into an amazing, brave and smart young woman. And I was especially delighted when I noticed you were falling in love, though you hadn't noticed it yourself. You were kind of obvious, if I may say so. I knew you were falling for him when you wrote that letter to me after the Yule Ball. Then you came home for the summer, and although you told me about the dangers your world was facing, your main worry was him, and his safety.

That year changed everything. I didn't and still don't understand much about what happened, but I did know you were at war, and the Dark Wizard everyone feared was back. Your father and I were so worried about you, my baby! We had raised you, changed your diapers, taught you how to walk, and now you were a grown woman, fighting in a war of adults. We barely saw you during those years, and although I knew it was better that way, I still wished there was something I could to make you feel safer. I felt so powerless knowing you could die, and I couldn't do anything about it. The day Ron's parents came to our house to take us to Hogwarts, to see you, I was scared. They assured me you were fine, but I could only believe it when I saw you. Even though you were badly hurt, you looked so happy, and you made me smile for the first time in months. You told me it was over. I had never been so relieved in my entire life, Hermione!

I believe one of the happiest days in my life was when you told me you were getting married. Most parents are afraid when this happens, but I wasn't. Even though you told me you two used to fight a lot, I knew, as you did, that he was your rock. He was the one who kept you going. But it was when he came to ask us for your hand that I knew it. I knew Ron, the little boy you had met at school, the man standing in front of us, would die to protect you.

As I am writing this, honey, I am watching you sleep. You came to visit me and after a while you fell asleep in the chair beside my bed. I know you are tired. I feel useless. I was supposed to watch over you, to take care of you, and now it is you who is taking care of me. Well, you and your father. I am really sorry, Hermione, I hope one day you will forgive me for this.

I asked your father to give you this letter after your wedding is over, before the reception. I hate not being there to congratulate you, my darling. I wish I could have seen you walking down the aisle, with your white dress. You must have looked like an angel. Well, you are an angel. You are my angel.

You and Ron deserve the best together. I hope you have a wonderful wedding, a great life, and many children. Please, darling, allow your father to spoil them. He will be a great grandfather, as he was a great father and a perfect husband. And please take good care of him for me.

I am feeling week, darling. I must stop writing now. Oh, one last thing. I told you before that when you were a child you asked me if fairy tales where real. I think you know by now that the answer to that question is "yes". Dragons and fairies exist (who would have thought?) and so does prince charming. You have found him at last.

I love you, Hermione. I am proud of you. I always was.

Kisses from,

Mum.

"What's wrong, love?"

Ron was worried. Ever since Hermione had opened that letter she hadn't stopped crying. Her hand was trembling, her dress was wrinkled and her make-up was ruined, but to him, she was the most beautiful woman in the world. And, only five minutes ago, she had become his wife. When he asked her about the letter, she finally looked up.

"Nothing's wrong, Ron. This… this is a letter my mum wrote to me," she showed him the long paper in her hand and continued. "She wrote it just before she died, and told my father to give it to me after my wedding. She wrote to me about everything she felt and… she said she was proud of me, Ron"

Ron looked at her in disbelief.

"And why wouldn't she be proud? She raised a beautiful, smart, brave, bossy daughter," at this she hit him playfully in the arm. "Honestly, Hermione, I met your mother and without reading any letter I know she loved you more than anything. You were the world to her."

Hermione smiled at him, but her eyes were still in the letter.

"I just wish she had been here to see me. I wish she had been with me on my wedding day." She let out a small sob and Ron embraced her.

"She was here, Hermione. I know she was," he whispered in her ear.

After a while, she looked up, kissed him lightly on the lips and closed the letter.

"I know. You're right" she dried her tears with a handkerchief and smiled at him. "Let's go to the reception, prince charming."