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 11
Hermione felt her feet connect to the hard ground and the familiar sound of train whistled filled her ears. She opened her eyes, knowing instantly where they were.
"Kings Crossing. Twelve years in the future after our last stop." Tonks said.
Hermione nodded, seeing a hoard of people standing on the platform of 9 ¾'s. She scanned the crowd and instantly saw an older version of herself moving through the crowd. Hermione gave an approving nod. For her age, at this point, she looked rather good; still thin, and her hair still curly, cut to her shoulders now though.
"Come on…" Tonks took Hermione's hand and they followed the older Hermione through the crowd of parents and younger children. Clearly, they were waiting for the train to arrive back rather then departing.
After a few minutes, older Hermione stopped and gave a friendly smile causing Hermione to glance ahead and see an older version of Ron waiting for Hermione on the platform.
Ron smiled and moved, pulling the older Hermione in for a hug.
Hermione smiled, relief flowing through her veins. She had gotten Ron back in this reality; somehow she had gotten him back.
"What are we doing here?" Hermione asked, grinning at the scene in front of her.
"Picking up Rose…its her last trip home. She has just finished up Hogwarts in this time…" Tonks explained.
"And Ron and I—" Hermione started, but her grin faded as she saw an older version of Lavender step up toward the older versions of Ron and Hermione and gather the older Hermione in a hug once Ron released her.
"What the…what is she doing here?" Hermione asked.
"She and Ron married and are picking up their other child. A boy named R.J….well Ron Junior but…" Tonks gave a small smile.
"We all seem close…" Hermione observed.
"You are. Ron has always been involved with Rose, even with R.J. and you and Lavender have long put your differences aside. She does care a lot about Rose…so you all get along…" Tonks explained.
Hermione, however, was not smiling. She felt like she had been punched in the face. She had been wrong; she had lost Ron for good in this reality like all the others. The only difference in this future was Rose, and Rose had kept Ron in her life in some form in this reality. For that, Hermione was grateful.
"Hermione, I am so sorry to hear about your mum…" Lavender said.
"Its alright. Thank you for the flowers…" Older Hermione said as Lavender released her.
Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion at the comments. She passed a glance to Tonks for an explanation.
"Your mum passed away two months ago from right now…" Tonks said.
Hermione felt her stomach drop. It was an awful thing to think that her mother was now gone. "She was so young…"
"Heart attack." Tonks said simply, giving Hermione's shoulder a little squeeze.
"How's your dad doing with it all?" Ron asked.
Older Hermione shrugged. "He's talking about moving. He wants to retire on the coast."
"Good thinking." Ron gave a small nod.
"Are you going to keep the house?" Lavender asked.
Older Hermione again shrugged. "I doubt it. Its far too big for me by myself and with Rose gone…"
"Where is Rose?" Hermione asked.
"She got a job for the Ministry...she's moving closer to London…" Tonks said.
"A job?" Hermione was curious. IF she lost Ron in this future, she was glad that Rose was successful.
"Just watch." Tonks pointed back to the scene in front of them.
"Yeah, probably smart. You really don't need to worry about cleaning all that…" Ron said simply, putting his hands in his pockets as the Hogwarts Express pulled up to the platform.
Hermione watched as the train doors opened and tons of Hogwarts students poured onto the platform, dressed in the clothing of their house at the school. She scanned the crowd, and within seconds, a young teenage boy with red hair and the same grin as Ron came bounding off the train. He sprinted up toward the group of older Hermione, Ron, and Lavender.
"Mum! Dad!" The boy shouted.
"Arthur!" Ron ruffled the boys hair as he quickly hugged Lavender.
"Who is that?" Hermione asked, though she had a feeling she knew.
"That's Ron and Lavender's son, Arthur. He's in his second year at Hogwarts…" Tonks explained.
Hermione looked at the boys scarf. It was red and gold; Gryffindor.
"Hey, Hermione!" Arthur grinned up at the older Hermione.
"Hello, Arthur. How was your year?" Old Hermione asked.
"Brilliant!" Arthur grinned.
"We are close?" Hermione questioned.
"Ron always made a point of including Rose in everything he did with Lavender and Arthur, and therefore, included you a lot. You all get on well enough." Tonks said.
Hermione nodded. At least Ron was being mature about everything in this future, and even if she didn't end up with him, at least he was in her life.
"Where's Rose?" Ron asked.
"Hell if I know. Probably off snogging that Malfoy kid…" Arthur laughed.
"Arthur! Watch your mouth!" Lavender corrected her son.
"Yes, mum…" Arthur looked down.
"Malfoy's son?" Hermione glanced at Tonks.
Tonks shrugged, but did not have to answer, as Hermione's attention was directed toward a beautiful, tall girl, with the same red hair color as Ginny, and the same blue eyes as Ron, exciting the train. She scanned the crowd momentarily before spotting the older Hermione and Ron and moving toward them.
"Is that…?" Hermione was shocked by the girl's beauty.
"That's your Rose…" Tonks said.
"Mum! Dad!" Rose launched herself into the older Ron's arms.
"Rosie, how was your final trip back?" Ron asked as Rose released him and moved to give the older Hermione a hug as well, her head over her shoulder as she spoke to her father.
"Brilliant! I can't believe Hogwarts is really all over…" Rose said, letting go of the older Hermione.
"She's beautiful…" Hermione commented about her daughter in this future.
"And smart. Top of her class, prefect, captain of the Quidditch Team for Gryffindor…" Tonks said with a smile.
"Really?" Hermione was proud, but couldn't honestly say she was shocked. It seemed as though Rose had inherited her mother's brains and her father's athletic ability.
"Yeah. She just didn't get head girl…her cousin Molly, Percy's daughter, did…but Rose had no hard feelings…" Tonks said.
"Wow…and now she's going to work for the Ministry?" Hermione asked, proud of the child she didn't even know.
Tonks nodded and motioned back to the scene in front of them.
"Well, we are all so proud of you, darling…" The Older Hermione fondly stroked Rose's hair, though Rose was a bit taller then her mother.
"Thanks." Rose's ears turned red with embarrassment the same way Ron's did, and it did not go unnoticed to Hermione.
"Yeah…now you get to move out!" Arthur buzzed past his older sister.
"Arthur! You be nice to your sister…" Lavender scolded.
"Its okay, Lav…" Rose smiled warmly at her stepmother.
"No its not. He is just as proud of you as the rest of us are." Lavender said, giving Rose a small hug.
Arthur laughed and stuck his tongue out at his sister as his mother released her.
"I don't even live with you half the time, punk…" Rose tossled Arthur's hair.
Arthur shrugged. "Well, now you will be hours away…"
Rose got eye-level with Arthur. "London's not that fair. Don't think I won't be visiting during the Quidditch World Cup either…"
Arthur grinned. "Really?"
"Duh…" Rose rolled her eyes in a joking manner.
Hermione could see now that Rose and Arthur were just teasing each other, but were rather close, despite the age difference.
"Speaking of the World Cup, do you really think you will be around for it?" Ron said, his voice hopeful.
Rose shrugged. "If the Ministry gives me off…"
"Why wouldn't they?" Ron seemed offended by the idea.
"Because I'll be a brand new auror…" Rose said.
"Auror?" Hermione glanced at Tonks in surprise.
Tonks nodded. "She was offered a job in the Department of Muggle Artiffacts as well…given the fact that she lived in a muggle neighborhood with your parents, but she wanted to follow Ron's path…and he is proud."
"Wow…" Hermione whispered, nto sure if she liked the idea of her child risking her neck as an auror.
"I'm sure you will get off…" The Older Hermione said, looping her arm around Rose as the group began to walk off the platform.
"Hope so." Rose said.
"We should all go get dinner…" Ron suggested, glancing at the older Hermione.
"Uh…well…" Rose started and then suddenly a blond boy caught her eye and she glanced hopefully at her mother.
"Go on…just be home before midnight, please…" The Older Hermione seemed to know exactly what her daughter was asking without Rose even saying it.
"Thanks, mum!" Rose gave the older Hermione a quick hug before running in the direction of the blond boy who looked eerily familiar.
"Who is that?" Hermione asked Tonks.
Tonks went to answer, but was cut off by Ron.
"Hermione! I thought we agreed to try and cut her off from that Malfoy spawn…" Ron whined.
"Oh, Ron, honestly…she's been dating him for two years now." The Older Hermione scoffed.
"And he happens to be a nice boy." Lavender added as she, Ron, Older Hermione, and Arthur continued to walk across the platform.
"He is." Older Hermione nodded in agreement.
Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm completely out-numbered…"
"No you're not, dad…I don't like him either…" Arthur said.
"Good. At least someone in this group has a head…" Ron said
"Well, can we still get dinner then? I'm starved…" Arthur asked.
"Sure." Ron nodded, and then glanced at Older Hermione. "Come with us, Hermione."
"Oh, no…you all go. Arthur is just back." Older Hermione said.
"Nonsense, Hermione. Come along." Lavender said.
"No, really…I'm fine. You all go." Older Hermione said.
"Are you sure?" Ron asked.
"Yes. I've got plenty of work to do at home." Older Hermione said.
"Some things never change." Ron gave her a slight grin.
"No, some don't." Older Hermione smiled back.
"Alright, well…good luck then." Ron said, giving Older Hermione a hug.
"Thanks." Older Hermione said, as she moved to hug Lavender.
"And if you and Rose need help packing her things, please call me!" Lavender said.
Older Hermione gave a small nod and smile and then watched Ron and his family walk off the platform. Once they were gone, the smile on the older Hermione's face faded and she sighed, rummaging through her purse before leaving the platform alone.
"I seem sad." Hermione said to Tonks.
"Well, you go home tonight to an empty house…not exactly a great thing." Tonks explained.
"I'm still alone?" Hermione asked, though she knew the answer. She could see it in the eyes of the older version of herself every time she had looked at Ron on that platform. She still loved him.
"You know the answer to that, and you know why…" Tonks said.
"I never got over Ron." Hermione said simply.
"No, you didn't…" Tonks said.
Hermione gave a small nod. "I don't want to see any more…"
"You have one more future left…and I do think you will want to see it." Tonks said.
"I really don't think I do." Hermione said simply. She was growing tired of how miserable her futures seemed to be.
"I truly do think you will want to see this, Hermione." Another, sweet voice, that Hermione did not recognize filled her ears.
Hermione turned slowly, away from Tonks and found herself facing a familiar set of green eyes. The same eyes as Harry; Lily Potter's eyes.
"Mrs…Potter?" Hermione fumbled over her words, only ever having seen Harry's mother in pictures, and not exactly sure what to call the woman in front of her.
"Call me, Lily, Hermione…" Lily stretched her hand out toward Hermione's. "And let me show you your future if you stay on your path right now…"
"And what path is that?" Hermione questioned, a little confused at what Lily was saying.
"You're path with Ron. I'm here to show you your future if you marry him…" Lily said simply.
Hermione felt her stomach do a summersault at Lily's words. In the back of her mind, Hermione knew that this was the future she had wanted to see all along. She quickly took Lily's hand without another word.
