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 13

Hermione opened her eyes to find herself, for the third time, in a hospital room at St. Mungo's, where she saw her pregnant self in bed and Ron coaching her through pushes as healers sat at the bottom of the bed.. She glanced to Lily quickly, though she did not need an explanation as to why they were there.

"Rose's birth?" Hermione guessed.

"How did you know it was Rose?" Lily asked.

Hermione was caught off guard by the question, and immediately fumbled over her answer, realizing she had assumed it was Rose because she had, despite how the last future with Ron ending up with Lavender had not been exactly what Hermione wanted, grown to care for that figment of Rose deeply, and was grateful for her. But Lily was right; this future may contain no Rose, and Hermione was not sure how she felt about that. As much as she loved Ron, in the few instances she had seen Rose in the last future, she had loved her deeply.

"I just…I assumed…" Hermione started, but was cut off by a baby wailing. She immediately turned her attention to the scene in front of her.

"Hermione! She's here! She's beautiful!" Ron was hysterically crying, gathering the small child in his arms from the healer.

Hermione noticed the future version of herself was crying as well.

"My little Rose…" Future Hermione said as Ron gently handed the newborn, wrapped in a pink blanket, to her mother.

Hermione felt relief flow through her veins. Rose was still part of this future; and Hermione knew that was exactly what she wanted.

"She's perfect…" Ron whispered and ran his hand over Future Hermione's sweaty head as she continued to stare down at the bundle in her arms. "Thank you…"

"For what?" Future Hermione breathed softly, rocking the baby in her arms.

"For her. For giving me a family…" Ron whispered. "She looks like you, Hermione…"

"Not with that hair…" Future Hermione laughed a little.

Hermione cocked her neck to see that the little baby Rose in this future also had red hair, and Hermione assumed she would look like the other Rose from the other future. After all, she had the same parents. Hermione was silently grateful that, although Rose had inherited that Weasley red hair that Hermione loved so much, that she had inherited Ginny's shade rather then Ron's. It was more suitable for a girl.

"Well, I had to leave some mark, didn't I, Rosie?" Ron cooed at his newborn daughter.

"She's beautiful, Hermione." Lily commented.

Hermione snapped her head up at Lily's voice, remembering she was not alone, and quickly wiping the tears of joy she had not even realized had swelled in her eyes.

"Are you alright?" Lily asked, kindly, as only a mother could.

Hermione nodded, laughing a bit. "I didn't expect to get so involved in these glimpses…"

"But you are happy?" Lily questioned.

Hermione nodded. "I could stay here…"

Lily laughed a bit. "Maybe someday, but for now, lets keep going, shall we?"

Hermione nodded and took Lily's hand yet again to see another glimpse of this seemingly perfect future.


When Hermione opened her eyes again she found herself and Lily in the same kitchen she had been in when, in this reality, the future version of herself had told the future version of Ron that she was pregnant with Rose. Right now, however, that kitchen looked very different, as Hermione immediately noticed Ron and a toddler version of Rose decorating cupcakes, the kitchen a total mess.

"Rose is a little over a year here. She is helping Ron make cupcakes for your birthday dinner tonight…" Lily explained.

"Where am I?" Hermione asked.

"At work. You started working back at the Ministry once Rose turned one. You work a lot from home, but Ron's home from an auror mission for now, so you went to the office…" Lily explained.

Hermione nodded, smiling. She was glad she was still able to work despite being a mother in this future.

"Make sure you get all the frosting on there, Rosie. You know that mummy has a sweet tooth…" Ron said to his daughter.

"Teeth!" Rose squealed from her highchair, bearing a few random teeth at Ron.

"I know you have some teeth…" Ron smiled at his daughter.

Hermione smiled at the interaction between Ron and Rose. He was an adorable father.

The sound of someone flooing caught Hermione's attention and she turned to see a slightly older version of herself moving from the fireplace into the living room, immediately kicking off her heels as she entered the kitchen, a look of clear distress on her face at the sight before her eyes.

"Uh-oh, Rosie…mummy got home before we cleaned the mess up…" Ron looked sheepishly up at future Hermione.

"Uh! Oh!" Rose squealed, throwing her hands in the air before holding her own cheeks, her mouth in the shape of an "o" as the frosting from the cupcakes now smeared her face.

Future Hermione had her hands on her hips as if she were about to scold them, but it was hard to do with how adorable Rose looked. Hermione could see the future version of herself trying not to smile.

"Really, Ronald? Its my birthday!" Future Hermione huffed, false anger in her voice.

"I know. That's why we made cupcakes…the muggle way too…" Ron said, standing.

"And you will be cleaning this all up?" Future Hermione pointed to the mess.

Ron let out a fake groan of annoyance, a smile on his face as he leaned down to Rose. "Are you gonna clean this up, Rosie?"

Rose quickly shook her head back and forth and giggled.

"Lot of help you are…" Ron teased again, whipping a bit of frosting from Rose's cheek.

"Seriously, Ron…you act younger then Rose sometimes! You act like one of our kids…I can't take care of three children…" Future Hermione huffed, putting her pocketbook down.

"Well, good thing its just me and Rosie then—" Ron started, but then stopped, comprehending Hermione's words. His face immediately went white and he stood straight up. "Three?"

Future Hermione nodded, a wide grin on her face.

"Hermione…are you…are we having another baby?" Ron grinned.

Future Hermione nodded. "I just found out."

"Bloody hell!" Ron practically jumped, grabbing future Hermione and twirling her around, kissing her a million times on her face before placing her on her feet and moving to her stomach, lifting her blouse and kissing the flat skin there as well.

Hermione watched in adoration. She and Ron would have two children, and he was ecstatic about it. She glanced at Lily.

"That one in there will be Hugo…" Lily pointed to future Hermione.

"A boy…" Hermione nodded, glad she could give Ron and son and a daughter.

"We have a little time left. Would you like to see him?" Lily asked.

"Yes." Hermione nodded, tossing her hand out to Lily and closing her eyes.

Lily nodded also, taking Hermione's hand in hers and moving them to the next glimpse of this particular future path.


A second later, Hermione opened her eyes to find herself in the front foyer of the same house that she had Ron had clearly kept in this future, though it looked a bit different. She scanned the room, noticing both moving pictures and muggle pictures on the wall of herself and Ron with a younger girl, looking about ten or eleven, and a small boy, looking about eight, both with red hair and Ron's blue eyes. Hermione studied the pictures, assuming that they were a few years into this future now, and that the children in the picture with her and Ron were their children, Rose and Hugo.

"Rose is leaving for her first day of Hogwarts today…" Lily explained from behind Hermione.

Hermione turned to smile at Lily when suddenly she was cut off by a loud bang from upstairs.

"Rose Minerva Weasley! What was that?" Hermione heard her own voice bellow from the kitchen before an older version of herself entered the foyer.

Hermione noticed that this older version of herself did look slightly older, but not much, her hair pulled in a bun and her frame the same as it was now.

"Wasn't me!" A girl's voice came from down the stairs.

The padder of feet from above seemed to tell both Hermione's that two people were running upstairs, and then another crash.

"Rose!" Older Hermione warned.

A second later, a young boy with red hair, freckles, and blue eyes came running down the stairs. He couldn't have been older then eight, and Hermione instantly knew this was her and Ron's son, Hugo.

"Mum, whatever she says, I didn't do it…" Hugo grinned past older Hermione.

Older Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "Why do I doubt that…"

"Because he's a liar and he tried to take my wand!" A girl with the same color red hair as Ginny came down the stairs as well, and Hermione knew this had to be Rose.

Hermione was in awe just how much her children seemed to be a mixture of her and Ron. They were both beautiful.

"Rose, sweetie, relax…" Older Hermione stroked her daughter's cheek. "Hugo's just upset that you're leaving today…"

"And I can't wait!" Rose snapped.

Older Hermione seemed slightly shocked by Rose's temper, which Hermione assumed she had gotten from Ron, and was about to say something when the front door swung open and an older version of Ron, his hair parted to one side, entered.

"Hey, don't talk to your mum like that. You're going to upset everyone. We are all going to miss you…" Older Ron said to his daughter.

Rose seemed to bow her head at her father's slight scold before glancing up at Older Hermione. "Sorry, mum…"

"Its fine, sweetie…go grab breakfast…" Older Hermione kissed Rose on the head.

Rose nodded and moved into the kitchen.

Future Ron raised an eyebrow at his wife and sighed. "Going to be quiet with one kid 'round here…"

"Don't remind me…" Older Hermione hugged herself, looking a bit sad.

"Oh, Hermione…she will be home before you know it…" Older Ron moved and hugged Older Hermione, kissing her on the forehead.

"Ewww…yuck!" Hugo's little voice filled the foyer as he moved in from the kitchen.

Older Hermione and Ron glanced at their son and both smiled.

"One day, kid, you will be very happy to be doing the same…" Ron told his son.

"No way. Girls are gross! Except Lily…but that's 'cause she's got awesome older brother's like Albus and James…I just got Rose…" Hugo made a face back into the kitchen.

"Don't be mean about your sister, just because she doesn't love digging in the mud with you…" Ron scolded.

"Because you are going to miss her just as much as we do." Older Hermione added, bending down and kissing her son on the forehead. "Aren't you?"

Hugo glanced at the floor but gave a slight shrug, as if trying to play off his feelings.

"Rose and Hugo don't exactly have the same interests…Rose does love Quidditch, but she also loves reading and learning…Hugo is all boy and just wants to play rough and be outside, but the two are very close…" Lily explained.

"He's going to miss his sister…" Hermione realized, not really fully understanding how that would feel. She had never had a sibling, and the closest she could relate to it was when Ron had walked away from her and Harry in the tent, though she knew that wasn't the same.

Lily nodded.

"I mean…Rose is okay…sometimes…" Hugo finally said, but then leaned toward his parents, whispering. "But don't tell her I said that…"

Older Hermione and Older Ron both laughed a bit at their son's statement, and even Hermione was smiling. Hugo was a cute kid.

"Go get changed to go to Kings Crossing…" Older Hermione shoed her son up the stairs.

Hugo nodded and bounded up the stairs just as Rose entered from the kitchen.

"All done with breakfast, Rosie?" Older Ron asked.

Rose just nodded. "Wasn't too hungry…"

"You have to eat, Rose. The train ride isn't a short one to Hogwarts…" Older Hermione said.

"I'm too nervous." Rose admitted. "That's why I haven't been too nice to Hugo this week…"

Older Hermione and Ron glanced at each other and then turned back to Rose.

"We kinda figured that." Ron admitted.

"You did?" Rose was surprised. "But I thought mum was the really smart one…"

Both Hermione's smiled and Ron chuckled a bit, glancing up at Older Hermione. "She is…" He then turned back to Rose. "But sometimes I can be smart too…"

"Rose, you are going to do great at Hogwarts. We just know it." Older Hermione knelt down in front of her daughter.

"What if I don't get in Gryffindor?" Rose whispered her serious concern.

"Well, then you better figure out another house to come back to next year…" Older Ron joked.

Rose's face went pale white and Older Hermione glared at her husband before turning back to her daughter. "Dad is just kidding…isn't he?"

"Yeah, sure…" Ron's ears went red. "Rose, it won't matter what house you are in. You will do brilliant."

"You think?" Rose glanced at Ron.

"I know." Ron nodded.

Rose gave a small, nervous smile.

"Why don't you go grab your bags from upstairs? We should be going soon…" Older Hermione told her daughter.

Rose nodded and moved up the stairs, leaving older Hermione and Ron alone in the foyer, with Lily and Hermione watching them.

Ron pulled Hermione in for a hug, kissing her once more on the head. "Ready to go back to platform 9 and ¾'s, Mrs. Weasley…"

Older Hermione just laughed. "Merlin, that reminds me of your mum…"

"My mum's a brilliant woman…" Ron grinned.

Older Hermione laughed and swatted playfully at Ron's chest. "Come on, Mr. Weasley…lets get you some breakfast."

"Still know how to get to my heart…" Older Ron grinned, allowing his wife to lead him into the kitchen.

"We seem so happy…" Hermione commented to Lily, and it was true. This future was everything she could have hoped for and more. Her marriage seemed flawless and her children were perfect.

Lily nodded. "I've got a few more things I'd like to show you. Then my time with you is up…"

Hermione just nodded, eager to see more, but also sad that she would be leaving this future so soon.