((Writing this story was very emotional for me. I cried during almost every chapter and I really hope you all felt some form of emotion as well. Thanks to all of you for all the reviews and know that while the story might not end like you wanted, but it ended the way it should. Enjoy!))
Epilogue
The warm blue sun shined down on everyone present. Soft Black Magic roses filled the area in every corner as Minerva McGonagall's voice filled the air. Sobbing people in black dresses and robes were tight together and trying to hear all her wise words. The closed, shining red coffin lay in front of the crowd. Only one row of seats sat next to the cold stone. It was those seats that held the heartbroken people that were the closest to the dearly departed. In those seats were the sobbing Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and Harry Potter. Hermione parents were a mess; her mother barely able to sit upright even with her husband's arm around her. So many sad people were all around that even the world seemed like a sad place. Though the sun was out and there was not a cloud in the sky, it was a miserable day. Everyone around was silently wishing it was them and not her…
Yes. Hermione Granger would have been proud of her funeral.
Draco Malfoy stood away from the group, twenty feet away from the coffin. From the moment her parents told him that Hermione would be buried in a small muggle town, Draco knew he'd feel left out. Even with the family's request that he sit with them and her friends, he didn't feel wanted. Throughout the entire morning, Ron Weasley would glare his way, trying to make him feel uncomfortable. While it didn't work, it still made him feel put out. He had come to mourn the death of Hermione Granger just like the rest of them… and yet they treated him like a burden.
As McGonagall—who was clad in black robes with a black veil around her graying hair—finished her words with tears in her eyes, she whispered to the wind. "Hermione Granger, you are forever with us. We will be with you someday, but until then we know you will be with each and every one of us along the way. Goodbye, my dear."
The large group of people got into a line to lay their rose on her coffin lid. Draco watched Hermione's father pull her hysterical mother away from the gravesite. Walking up to the coffin, he wanted to cry when he saw all the plain red roses or pure white ones. Black Magic's were planted in bushes all around her tombstone, but that wasn't enough… she deserved to have one with her. Standing in the back of the long line, Draco waited until everyone in the graveyard was gone; walking back to their cars, portkeys, or apparation points. The now quiet, still grave left Draco feeling very alone… he always felt alone now.
After Hermione's quiet death a few days ago, he has refused to speak with anyone but his mother and Hermione's parents. Most thought he was just grieving, but that wasn't it. He was beating himself up. If he hadn't left her to deliver those bloody papers to Percy Weasley, she wouldn't have died alone. He would have been beside her, clutching her hand in his. It was he who found her, lying in bed with her eyes shut. At first, he thought she was asleep. It took him a moment to realize just how cold her hands were. Standing by her coffin now, his heart ached and he collapsed to the ground next to her coffin.
"Hermione, my love, I am so sorry. I should never have left you…" His voice came out choked as the tears fell.
He felt the wind blowing through his tousled hair, making him miss the footsteps coming from behind him. "She wanted to die alone."
His head snapped up and he wiped his face. That voice was to be forever burned into his mind. He didn't even turn his head to look at her. "What are you on about?"
Ginny took another step forward, close enough to touch his shaking shoulders. "During my last visit, she told me. Part of me thinks she knew it would be our last conversation," she gave a heartbreakingly sad laugh.
Draco noticed she was beating herself up as well. "She probably did."
"But, like I was saying; she wanted to die alone. She said she wanted our smiles not cries." Ginny's heart ached as Hermione's words vibrated in her memory.
'That's how I want it to be, Gin. So many sad faces have come to see me since I was admitted that a nice and silent death would be the best for me. That way I won't take all your crying faces with me wherever I end up. I love you all too much for that. I want to remember those smiling faces of yours. That's what I want to take with me. Not your tears.'
Draco gave a sad, breathy laugh. "Yes, that does sound like Hermione. She always was a bleeding heart that preferred silence to anything else."
"Indeed." Ginny's hand touched the cold coffin. "It's hard to believe she won't be here anymore…"
Draco looked up at her clear face. "How do you do it?"
She looked at him, slightly surprised. "Do what?"
"How can you not cry…? I can't seem to stop."
She sighed, kneeling next to him but not touching him. "I've cried so much in the past month that I think my tears are dry. But, that's not the reason why I'm not crying. I'm not crying because Hermione wouldn't want me to."
He just glanced at her and didn't say anything.
"Hermione didn't like to see anyone hurt. Crying just shows her how much we are hurting. She needs at least one strong person here. I owe her that much." Ginny's voice was quiet, almost inaudible.
Draco nodded his head. Red had a point, but he couldn't be strong right now. Maybe someday… but not now.
"Ginny? Mr. Malfoy?"
The two of them looked up in the direction of the voice. It was Percy.
"Can you two please meet me in the Headmistress' office in a few moments? I have something for you both." He nodded his head and walked away.
Ginny sighed and stood, kissing her hand before laying it against Hermione's coffin. "I love you, Mione. See you soon."
Draco watched her walk to her waiting family. Happy to be alone with his love once more, he stood and dried the tears off his face. Opening his jacket, he reached his hand into the inner pocket. Pulling out what he was looking for, he gave Hermione his infamous smirk.
"You saved my life, Hermione Granger. I just wish that I could've saved you in return." He opened the black box in his hand, pulling out the Black Magic Hermione had transformed from a leaf all that time ago. "I want you to have this back. I've kept it all this time because it reminded me of you. But, now I know it should be with you."
Waving his wand over the rose in the box, it disappeared and hopefully landed where he had intended. "Keep it in your hands, my love. It will never die, just like my love for you." Bending over, he laid a kiss on the red coffin. "I'll be with you someday. Wait for me."
He began to walk away to his apparation point. Reaching the spot behind the trees, he looked back one more time, whispering, "I love you," one more time to the wind before apparating to the school where they first met and fell in love.
Percy stood in front of the small group of people in McGonagall's office. "While you have all seen me visiting Hermione in the hospital, I was not there strictly for visits."
Draco looked around him, seeing Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, George, Ron, Ginny, Harry, McGonagall, and Madam Pomphrey all scattered around him. He didn't understand why they were here, but he didn't ask. Remaining silent, he listened to the Weasley currently speaking.
"Upon her admittance to St. Mungo's, Hermione Granger asked me to act as her advocate to the Ministry of Magic. That basically means that I handled everything legally for her. However, that also means I'm in charge of her final Will and Testament."
Whispers and small sobs echoed around the room. Draco's throat caught as he realized what the redhead meant. All those papers Hermione had him deliver the day she died! They were her Will!
"She asked me to have all of you here when I read it. I ask that you do not interrupt as I read its contents and that upon hearing your section of the document that you exit the room. These are Hermione's wishes." He turned and grabbed a roll of parchment off the desk behind him.
Draco saw Harry grab onto Ginny's hand and Ron's arm. His heart tugged when he realized Hermione would never be there for him to grab her hand. She was never going to be here again…
Percy cleared his throat and started to read:
"I, Hermione Jean Granger, declare that this document is legal as well as my dying will. Every word that is written shall be regarded and respected. I ask that no one question its contents, for you will be soiling my memory. We certainly cannot have that, can we?"
Draco saw everyone laugh lightly at the last comment. Hermione always did have humor.
"I would like to start off with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley."
Upon hearing their names, Molly Weasley started to cry hysterically. Mr. Weasley tried to calm her, signaling to their son to continue.
"I always thought of you two like my second pair of parents. I love you both with all my heart and I hope that you will not forget me. I would like to leave you two with a scrapbook I have been keeping since I started Hogwarts. There are pictures for every year I was a student; most of them consisting of Harry, Ron, and myself along with the twins and Ginny. In the back there is a large section that I've made dedicated to Fred. Since you are family, I hope this will do."
Percy placed the parchment back on the desk, lifting up a small bag next to it. Reaching his arm in, it was obvious the bad had an extendable charm on it, for his entire arm fit in. Finally, he pulled out a large scrapbook and handed it to his sobbing mother. Molly gripped it against her as the tears fell down her face it big drops. Arthur Weasley said thank you to his son and pulled his wife out of the room; trying to keep the tears from falling down his face in the process.
"Next, is George Weasley."
George sat up at his name.
"George, my whimsical friend, I wish I could have gotten to know you better. I always did admire just how ingenious you and Fred were. With that being said, I have managed to speak to many high individuals in the wizarding world. The WWW is to be presented an award next year for Best Joke Shop in the wizarding world. Fred's name will, too, be honored."
George's mouth dropped as he stood to grab the document Percy pulled out of the bag. He and Fred always spoke of getting this award when he was alive. Zonko's always won and now, thanks to Hermione, they finally did it. Oh, how he wished Fred was there to see this. As he turned to leave Percy called his name.
"And George? I will be telling Fred how much you miss him."
George nodded, allowing the tears to fill his eyes as he walked out of the room. Percy went back to the will.
"To my darling Ronald."
Ron's ears turned pink as his heart raced. There was no stopping the tears in his eyes.
"While you were the last to know of my dire fate, I want you to know that you were always the hardest to tell. You were my first crush and my best friend. We might have argued, but I wouldn't trade that for the world. And for that, I leave you my favorite book, Hogwarts: A History."
At first, Ron's mouth fell open. He couldn't believe that Hermione was leaving him a book when he didn't read at all. Though, as Percy handed him the think book, he couldn't stop himself from hugging it to himself. This was, after all, the book Hermione read the most.
"Ron, don't worry. There's more."
Ron's eyes snapped open; he hadn't even realized they were closed.
"Inside the book is a letter just for you to read. But, there is a catch. It is charmed and will only be readable when you find the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with. It's hard enough that I won't be physically at any wedding you may have. So, I left a letter for you to read the night before your wedding. I love you, Ron, I always have. I'm just sorry it wasn't the way you wanted it to be."
Ron finally let the tears fall. He nodded his head and clutched the book tighter. Harry patted his shoulder as he stood and left the room. He was going to read this book, he was. Every night for the rest of his life.
"And now, to Harry and Ginny."
Ginny let out a sharp, short sob. Harry slid his chair closer, lowering his arm around her as they waited for what Hermione wrote for them.
"I combined you two because that is how I always saw you: together. Harry, Ginny knew you were meant to be together from the moment she saw you. You didn't know it, but you had feelings for her since second year. I know you, Harry, better than I know anyone else. Ginny, you were my best girlfriend and my sister. I wish that I could be there to stand beside you as you marry each other. I wish I could be there when your children are born. But, I know that I can't. I will be there, but I will not be able to hug you and say how much I love you and that I know you'll be happy for the rest of your lives. And you will be. Trust me. And so, I leave you two the most special part of me: my wand."
Percy presented them with her wand. Harry clutched the slender piece of wood in his hand as Ginny cried in his shoulder. His heart lurched and stuttered as Hermione's smiling face flashed through his mind. He moved the wand to rest over his heart. Hermione deserved to be here… probably more than anyone else.
"Before you start questioning my motives, let me explain. I've charmed my wand to cast a spell on your wedding day. Ginny, when you are dressed in your wedding gown and ready to walk down the aisle, slide my wand into your bouquet. When your feet hit the aisle, a Patronus of me will erupt from my wand. I will be at your wedding, smiling and standing beside you. It will not disappear until you make your first kiss as husband and wife. I love you two. Be happy."
Ginny was finally crying hysterically. She had managed to stay tough throughout the entire funeral, but this gift was worth more than anything else. Hermione would be at her wedding! She'd made it possible. Harry cried with his wife as they walked out of the room. He nodded at the remaining occupants as he shut the door behind him.
"And now, I finish with Draco."
Draco stared at the floor with his eyes closed. He tried to envision her speaking to him. He needed to or he would go insane.
"Oh, Draco, the love of my life. How can you tell someone just how much they mean to you in a few words? Usually I know all the right things to say, but now I do not. But, I will say this: You were my reason, Draco. You were my reason for being a witch, for being me. I was meant to love you, I just never knew it. And now that I do, the only thing I regret is that we did not have the time to learn about that love, to study that love. Oh, how I wish we could have… it would have been beautiful. When writing my will, I knew straight away what to give to everyone, but you I found difficult. In the end, I settled for the best thing of all."
Draco let his pain show without shame. There was no point in holding back. It was just him and Hermione in the room. Just the two of them…
"I give you the sunrise, Draco. I give you the sunrise and sunset, I give you the breeze. But, more importantly, my love, I give you all of me. I give you my heart and my soul. I hope you walk through every day of your life seeing the beauty of the world, just as I did. Don't retreat from everyone like you did before, let people in. Love, Draco. There's nothing greater then loving others."
Draco rested his hand over his eyes. Her image was fading in his mind and he didn't want her to go.
"One more thing, my love. I left one more thing to you, but for that, I leave Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomphrey. They will explain. And with that, I end this Will and Testament. I thank Percy for all his help and I hope I will see you all someday. Signed, Hermione Jean Granger."
Percy nodded his head. "That's all I had for you all. Thank you for your time and I will be owling the paperwork that I will need everyone to sign. Good day."
Draco heard him walk out the door, but he didn't look up from the floor. Hermione's image was gone from his mind, but her words were still there. So, he lifted his tear-stained face and looked at the older witches. There would be time for him to cry later. Right then, it was time to respect Hermione's wishes.
Madam Pomphrey spoke first. "At the wish of Miss Granger, I continued to make the potion to cure leukemia and cancers like it. The potion is to be completed and then evaluated in a month's time."
McGonagall took it from there. "Miss Granger requested that you be lead chairman with Poppy and me assisting when the potion comes out. She said she trusted no one better."
Draco looked at them stunned, unsure of what to say.
Poppy continued. "We would do most of the talking, but Hermione felt this would be a good opportunity for you. She said it would mean you were always thinking of her like she always thoughts of you."
Thinking, Draco couldn't say no. This was his chance to make a difference in the world; just like Hermione always wanted. "I'll do it."
"We know you'll need time to think about it, but we insis—"
"No, Professor, I need no time. I'll do it. I'll do it for Hermione." His voice was firm, showing he was sticking to his decision.
McGonagall's eyes widened. "Oh, well, that's a relief. I expected that you would want to think it over, but thank you. Hermione would be very proud." The Headmistress had unshed tears sparkling behind her eyes. Hermione always was her favorite pupil.
Draco nodded. "She is proud. I can feel it." And he could.
Poppy and Minerva smiled as he nodded in their direction and headed to the door. As he went to close the door behind him, Poppy's voice stopped him.
"And Draco?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"I have one more request."
He nodded for her to continue.
"You see, I would very much like to name the potion after Hermione. But, it can't just be Hermione. Do you have any ideas as to what it can be called?" Her voice cracked as she said the wonderful girl's name. She was really going to miss her.
Draco had a soft smile spread across his face as he realized he had the perfect name. Hermione's parents had told him several stories about Hermione and he had loved every one of them. Now, he could honor her name some more. "I do believe I know the perfect name."
Madam Pomphrey smiled slightly. "What would that be?"
He smiled as her face appeared in his mind again, a Black Rose shimmering in her hair.
"Mimi's Black Rose."