Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is for pure entertainment only.
Summary: Set in the distant future. Hermione and Ron are about to get married, though Hermione isn't sure if Ron is ready. However, when she is given the chance to see all of her options, Hermione must choose the right path for herself.
CHAPTER 10
Hermione and Tonks landed in backyard of Hermione's parents house. Immediately, Hermione scanned the yard to see an older version of her father playing with, what Hermione assumed was an older version of Rose, as the girl running and blowing bubbles with Mr. Granger looked almost identical to the Rose they had just left, she was just a little taller and her hair was a little longer.
"Rose is five here…" Tonks spoke up.
"So I'm still living with my parents?" Hermione asked, quickly doing the math and realizing they were now two years in the future from the last thing they had seen, and clearly Hermione and Ron had still not figured anything out if Hermione was still living at her parents home.
"Rose! Come in! I want to clean you up before your dad gets here!" An older Hermione stepped out through the back door.
Hermione studied herself in this future. She was aging rather nicely, though she looked a bit tired, she had smile lines around her lips. At least in this future it seemed she had more happiness then in any of the others she had seen so far, though each had been rather different, and despite what Hermione had seen, she knew each future had its draws and drawbacks.
"Yeah! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad!" Rose screamed and ran past the older Hermione, nearly knocking her mother over.
The Older Hermione laughed and glanced up at her father. "Did you give her sugar out here?"
"She may have had a lollypop or two…I figured Ron could handle it." Mr. Granger joked back.
Hermione smiled, seeing that the relationship between her and her father was still in tact in this future. That made her happy, considering in the future with Krum she hardly saw her parents.
Hermione and Tonks followed older Hermione and Mr. Granger into the house where they all found Rose sitting at the kitchen table with an icepop and her bag next to her, while Mrs. Granger was busy cleaning dishes.
"More sugar, Rosie…" Older Hermione cocked an eyebrow at her mother who had obviously given Rose the icepop.
"Oh, she is fine. She's going to run it all out over with Ron anyway…" Mrs. Granger fluffed it out.
"Yeah. Daddy and me are going to Hogsmeade this weekend. I'm gonna run around soo much." Rose said, licking her lips.
"Daddy and I." Older Hermione automatically corrected her five-year-old daughter.
Rose made a face at her mother that looked eerily similar to the face Ron made when he was confused. It made both Hermione's laugh.
Suddenly, there was a flash in the fireplace and Ron and Lavender stepped out. Clearly the Granger's had been hooked up to the Floor network now.
"What is she doing here?" Hermione demanded, shocked to see Lavender Brown in her parent's home. She glanced over at the older version of herself, seeing that she also had a confused look on her face.
"She's with Ron." Tonks said simply.
"Then why do I look so shocked to see her?" Hermione pointed to the older version of herself.
"Because Lavender doesn't come over here often." Tonks replied.
"Dad! Lav!" Rose nearly knocked her own chair over as she jumped down at ran to Ron.
Ron bent down and pulled Rose in for a hug. "Wow, somebody's fingers are sticky!"
Rose giggled and placed her hands on Ron's cheeks, sticking them to his cheeks. "I had ice pops…"
"Perfect…Lavender will love a sticky you…" Ron laughed, glancing up at Lavender who smiled lovingly down at Rose.
"You do, Lav?" Rose asked.
Lavender smiled and bent down. "Only if you taste like cherry…"
"I do! I had cherry!" Rose squeeled.
"Well, then I love it!" Lavender laughed back.
Hermione cocked an eyebrow, surprised at how much it seemed Lavender had changed. It seemed that she genuinely cared about Hermione and Ron's little girl.
"Lav are you gonna play with us this weekend?" Rose seemed excited.
"She is…in fact, she has a present for you…" Ron told Rose.
"She does?" Rose gasped and giggled and turned to Lavender.
"Oh, Lavender, you didn't have to do that. Rose's birthday's not for another month—" Older Hermione spoke up.
"Oh, no its not that kind of present, actually…" Lavender gave a little smile to Hermione, and then glanced down at Ron who got to his feet.
"Rose, why don't you go head home with Lavender. I want to talk to your mum for a second." Ron said.
"Okay!" Rose squealed and took Lavender's hand who led her to the fireplace; A second late the pair flooed.
Both Hermione's folded their arms and took a deep, nervous breath. Clearly, Ron had something to say, and Hermione had a feeling she wasn't going to like it.
"What is it, Ron?" Older Hermione asked after a long moment.
"Well…uh…Lavender and I…well…we just found out…we…well…looks like Rosie is gonna be a big sister…" Ron fumbled over his words, his ears burning red.
Hermione felt as if she had been punched in the gut and quickly glanced at the older version of herself to see that she had the same look of shock on her face, though the older version of herself was clearly trying to hide it.
"Really? Wow…" Older Hermione's voice was a pitch too high.
Ron's ears went red; clearly he could see the shock and maybe even hurt on the older Hermione's face. "Uh…yeah…"
Older Hermione did not move; for once she was at a loss of words.
"You never really thought this day would come…" Tonks whispered into Hermione's ear.
"I still love him…why didn't I just tell him?" Hermione asked, her eyes glued to the older version of herself and Ron.
Tonks was silent for a long moment before taking a deep breath. "Just watch…"
"Well, Ron, congratulations! We are so happy for you! You must be so excited!" Mrs. Granger, who had been standing behind the older Hermione, reacted, clearly seeing the shock on her own daughters face. She moved forward, hugging Ron.
"Thank you, Mrs. Granger…and yeah, I am…we are…" Ron's ears burned an even deeper shade of red as his eyes briefly connected with the older Hermione's. When Mrs. Granger released him, he hesitantly took a step toward the older Hermione before stopping.
"Yeah…congratulations, Ron…" Older Hermione nodded, tears clearly threatening her eyes.
"Thanks, Hermione…" Ron nodded, sounding a bit relieved. "There's a bit more…actually…"
Hermione felt her stomach sink again. What else could he possibly tell her? Unless he was having twins.
"Really?" Older Hermione's voice was the same high pitch as before.
Ron nodded. "Yeah…err...Lav and I…we are going to be getting married...in the summer…I wanted Rose to be in the wedding…and of course you are all invited."
Older Hermione quickly nodded. "Of course she can be…she's your daughter."
Ron gave another small smile and a breath of relief as he nodded, and Hermione realized she had misunderstood his red ears. She had thought it was because he still loved her in this future, and felt bad, but clearly it was because he was nervous about telling her and asking her about his wedding. Was he really over her by now?
"Well…I should get going. I'll drop Rose off in two days…" Ron gave a small wave and then moved back into the fireplace, flooing out of the room.
The second Ron was gone, the older Hermione let out a small yelp and quickly covered her own mouth as tears flowed down her cheeks. Instantly, Mrs. Granger was collecting her daughter and moving her to the couch.
Hermione watched her mother sit the older version of herself down and realized she herself was also crying.
"Hermione…" Mrs. Granger said gently, running her hand over her daughter's head.
"I should have told him…" Older Hermione managed out as more tears fell down her cheeks.
"Tell him what, honey?" Mrs. Granger asked, though it seemed the older woman already knew.
"I…I lost him…I…he…I always thought…" Older Hermione hiccupped between nearly every word, clearly struggling to get her own words out.
"Sweetie, you couldn't have expected him to wait for you forever…you always were saying you didn't want him in your life in any other way then as Rose's father…" Mrs. Granger said gently.
"I know…but…it…it wasn't true…I…love…him..."Older Hermione continued to hiccup.
"I know you do, sweetie…but how would he know? Why didn't you ever tell him?" Mrs. Granger asked.
Hermione stepped forward, waiting for the older version of herself's to answer her mother's question. She wanted to know the answer to that question as well.
Older Hermione wiped away her own tears and took a second to regroup herself before sitting up straight and taking a deep breath. "You know why, mum…because I walked out on him. How could I possibly have asked him to take me back? I hurt him…and I walked away. I thought I was right…"
"And when you realized you weren't…why not tell him then?" Mrs. Granger asked.
Older Hermione simply shook her head.
"So because you didn't want to admit your mistake…this is what happened." Mrs. Granger said simply.
Hermione shook her own head, though she knew her mother was right. She couldn't believe that the only reason she hadn't told Ron she still loved him in this reality was because she didn't want to admit she had made a mistake. She was beyond stubborn, and Hermione was so mad with herself that she thought she deserved to be alone.
"How could I be so…stupid?" Hermione asked Tonks.
"You weren't being stupid. You were doing what you thought was right…" Tonks said.
"And now I end up alone…" Hermione said.
"You have Rose…" Tonks reminded her.
Hermione nodded; she had almost forgotten about the beautiful redheaded child that she had created with Ron. Rose meant that Ron would always be in her life in this reality and given the way she had just seen herself speak with her mother, Hermione had a feeling that she wouldn't give up Ron so easily in this reality. She turned quickly to Tonks.
"Is there more?" Hermione asked.
Tonks nodded and gave Hermione her hand, ready to show her more.
