Five years later.

She ran a hand through her long blonde waves. A four year old girl stood beside her, her raven black hair gleaming in the morning sun. The girl turned and flashed a smile, her emerald green eyes lit up in merriment. Hermione Granger smiled, feeling a slight pang in her heart as she watched those green eyes. The coldness had remained, even though her heart had warmed when her daughter had been born.

The dull throbbing would linger, for ever more.

Emerald Lillian Granger ran happily, with her companion Max running excitedly beside her. The golden retriever crouched low on the ground, watching the ball in Emerald's hand intently.

Hermione sat down gracefully on the dark green park bench and smiled smally as her daughter ran forward, throwing her ball as far as her small arms could. She looked a lot like herself, Hermione had devised, she had Hermione's heart shaped face, full red lips and small hands. But the resemblance to him was remarkable, she could never return to England, not with Emmy having his signature black hair and green eyes.

Hermione felt her eyes suddenly water as she thought of the man she had left behind, he could be just like Hermione was at that moment, watching his child play in the local park. Ginny would be smiling and the child with bright green eyes and dark red hair would grin, a smile so much like his.

She took a deep breath sitting up straight and poised. Hermione sat like this for what seemed like an eternity, staying completely motionless, her eyes never straying from her daughter, hand in the pocket of her white muggle coat, grasping her wand tightly. The trees surrounding her were full of crimsons and yellows, browns and oranges, she sighed in the autumn air and brought her hand to her face, rubbing her tired, golden, honey eyes.

A small, tentative hand rested on her knee and Hermione jumped slightly at the sudden sensation. Hermione smiled smally down at Emerald whom looked up at her curiously, a small knowing look in her eyes.

"Mummy? What's wrong?" she said in a serious voice, Hermione chuckled, she sounded so much like her father when she did that. Hermione reached forward and stroked her smooth wavy hair thank goodness its tamed.

"I'm fine sweetheart, just thinking a bit too much." Hermione answered with a smile which she hoped would make Emerald bored.

But to her dismay, the girl's curiosity only grew. "About England?" she asked carefully, pronouncing each syllable slowly. Hermione's eyes widened for a moment, before she put her mask back in place.

"No, I just went into my own world for a moment-"

"Oh… protective mode." Hermione snorted in laughter at her daughter's disappointed expression.

"I guess you could call it that Emmy." Hermione said as she stroked Max's head.

Emerald frowned and bit her lower lip, like Hermione did when she was in deep thought. Hermione smiled smally and waited.

"You know I was born in England." She whispered and Hermione let out a small laugh.

"Of course I know sweetheart, I did give birth to you." Hermione chuckled and watched her daughter raise an eyebrow at her. Hermione smiled and nodded to signal for her to continue.

"Well can we go back?" she said the words so fast that Hermione took a moment to register them. Hermione froze, feeling a deep chill emit from her heart. She placed a hand to her chest as Emerald continued shyly. "I want to see my grand parents… and the Weezbys… weezels…"

"Weasley's." Hermione said slowly and Emerald nodded quickly.

"Yes that's what I said… mum… why don't I have a dad…" Hermione expression suddenly darkened and horror was painted across her features. Despite her mother's obvious discomfort Emerald continued. "I mean… the other kids at school don't understand why I don't have a dad… neither do I!" she exclaimed suddenly and Hermione offered her hand which Emerald slipped her own into.

"I mean… I must have a dad… I can't… not have one… can I?" she asked, suddenly worried as Hermione placed her in the back of the black four wheel drive.

"Seatbelt." Hermione whispered and closed the door behind max.

She sat in the driver's seat and started the engine and turned to see her daughter's worried expression.

"Yes you do have a father." Hermione whispered and watched her shoulders relax. Hermione reversed out of the drive and onto the main road.

"Is he in England?" Emerald asked and Hermione let out a low growl.

"Yes." Hermione said crisply and Emerald opened her mouth to speak. But Hermione spoke first; putting to a halt the barrage of questions she was sure would escape her little mouth.

"I know you want to know things… I think I should tell you… but don't expect to understand it fully, it's quite complicated… adult business." Hermione spoke carefully as she passed tree after tree after tree on the long straight road.

It was a Saturday, Hermione's favourite day of the week, for one she wasn't working at the local magical hospital and two she could spend the entire day and Sunday with her daughter. This however was not on her agenda for a pleasant weekend.

Emerald had sat back as if about to be read a bedtime story "… as you know I had two best friends in school, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. Ron sadly died when we were younger… Harry and I went on and I found myself slowly falling in love with him. But Harry was expected to be with Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister, by everyone." Hermione paused when she felt a knot form in her throat.

"I encouraged Harry to take the next step, ignoring my feelings for him and wishing only for his happiness… later during the engagement Harry… called it off… or I thought he had." She trained her eyes to the road biting her lip. "Harry told me he loved me and I was so happy… so very happy. That's when we made love." Hermione hated the tears that began to fall down her face, her resolve breaking.

Emerald nodded taking in the new information like a sponge. "The next time I saw Harry, I found out that he was still engaged to Ginny and she was pregnant with his child. Now I had become very sick around this time and the next and last time I saw Harry was on his wedding day. I let him go that day." Hermione paused and looked quickly at the small girl in the backseat, dogs head in her lap. I shouldn't be telling her this. Hermione thought and then sighed when her daughter asked what happened next.

"Well I decided that I would move to America… but then I wanted to wait until Lizzie was out of school… so I travelled around England for a while and it was during this time that I found out of the little treasure I had." Emeralds eyes lit up in excitement and Hermione chuckled.

"What treasure?"

"You." Emerald leant back in her seat and waited for her to continue. "Don't ever think that I don't cherish you and love you with all my heart, and don't think your father, if he had a chance to know you would not love you as much as I do." Hermione stated firmly and Emerald merely nodded.

"Why can't we tell him about me?" the car stopped, they had pulled into Hermione's driveway. Hermione turned around in her seat and stared intently at Emerald for a moment.

"Do you truly want to go?" Hermione asked and knew that her daughter could see the anguish in her eyes at the thought; she had buried that part of her life five years ago and had no real intent on going back.

"I think… I need to…" Emerald paused and looked at her mother for a moment, those all too familiar eyes piercing into her soul. "And you do too."

What am I supposed to say to that? That England brings back my worst memories? That I can't go back or this pain in my chest will kill me? That I cannot see what my life could have been, if my name was Ginny Weasley?

I can't go back… it hurts too much.

"Please." The simple word escaped the small girl's lips and Hermione closed her eyes.

"Okay."

***

Harry potter sighed, running his fingers through his typically messy black hair. He stroked his short beard thoughtfully and knew everyone hated it, but he refused to shave it off, he would not let anyone tell him what to do again, how to behave, who to love.

That hadn't gotten him very far in life and he didn't plan on ever letting anyone make him lose something so precious again. It had been five years since Hermione had left, with a simple letter resigning herself to the fate of being the other woman. Harry only wished he could have known…. he was completely lost, completely and utterly deadened inside without her by his side.

He looked up when a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair and dreamy eyes skipped into his office, a four year old boy by the name of Leonardis clutching her hand. Luna Malfoy smiled warmly at him, her large protruding belly threatening to show from under her shirt.

Harry stood and laughed when Leo embraced his legs tightly. "It's good to see you too." Harry chuckled and Leo went behind his large darkly stained desk to sit in his leather chair.

"Harry." Luna said in her typical mystical way.

"Luna." Harry replied smiling. "It's been too long."

"Yes, two months to be precise, where have you been?" Luna questioned, careful to keep her tone even, to not disturb Leo.

"Busy." Harry stated quickly averting his gaze from her knowing eyes.

"Busy? With?" She asked smiling and Harry sighed removing his glasses and placing them on his cluttered desk.

"Work…"

"Memories…" Luna whispered.

"Pain." Harry said and looked at Luna's blurred figure solemnly.

She reached out and touched his arm fondly, she seemed to be trying to convey something to him, but he didn't know what.

"Do not worry Harry… you will be okay… sooner rather than later." Luna said in her dreamy voice and called to her son who waved to him, making him promise to visit them soon.

Harry sat down heavily at his desk and frowned, Luna is always so confusing… Hermione could always understand her... or seemed to… why cant I? Am I not an auror? Am I not harry potter?... don't use that shite, that is ridiculous, just because you have a famous name… well because you are famous, does not give you- oh shuttup…

He groaned and his head hit his desk. Hard.

"Hermione… come back." he whispered into the hard wood, his heart drowning in sorrow.

***

AN:I wont be near a computer for the next four days… apologies… holiday with friends… anyway I will be back Friday and will try and update as late as Saturday (26th) as its Monday today……. Anyway..

Thanks for the reviews, they are appreciated… I will tie up any loose ends in the chapters to come.

Thanks… caddy.