Concurrent Existences

Epilogue: Rebirth

Death is Eternal.

It truly has been chaotic the past few months after the destruction of Hogwarts and near destruction of the Ministry. It was absolutely hectic when what was left of the Aurors and Hit Wizards banded together to storm back into the Ministry just after Death was dealt with. Luckily, Hermione, Bellatrix, Luna and Helena were dragging a still living and breathing Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

The magical militia did try to apprehend Hermione, but the back-to-fifteen-and-pregnant Bella made it impossible for any of them to touch the brunette. Let's just say that the magic community now knew not to touch Hermione, at least in Isabella's presence.

Bellatrix told Hermione about wanting to return to her old age, but after a lengthy discussion and a few rounds of rigorous activities, both witches deemed it better for Bellatrix to just grow up slowly as Isabella Crescent Black. Time magic or not, it wasn't prudent to let the world know that Bellatrix was a Time Witch nor should they know she was technically immortal.

After Hermione had absorbed and released Death into the Veil, the embedded Unicorn thread finally calmed down and the glow disappeared. The white glow now only appeared when Hermione was using extensive amounts of magic, really angry or at the peak of praising the gods.

The very first thing Hermione did after getting out of the Ministry was to recover her preserved parents in the Shrieking Shack and to cremate them herself along with Bella. They saw what could happen to unprotected bodies and decided to just cremate them and free their ashes to the wind.

It had been several months since the chaos started to die down and now Hermione was lounging around Black Lake in her chair, under an umbrella with a nice cool drink.

Hermione felt bad for what happened to Hogwarts and persuaded Bella to help fund the rebuilding of Hogwarts. It took about half of the Crescent households holdings, but they were able to help along the reconstruction and also create their own small mansion by Black Lake. At first, Hermione was a bit concerned about all the goblins that she had technically massacred in the area. She didn't really want ugly goblin ghosts annoying her, thankfully Luna and Helena dealt with the problem easily.

Luna and Helena.

Hermione knew of the crush of Luna towards Helena early on, but she would never have thought them to progress this fast. She had heard of what happened to Volana and what happened to Luna's body, but apparently that was a blessing in disguise since Luna could now freely touch Helena...

... and freely touch they did.

Luna and Helena couldn't even explained what happened. How they were able to produce three small half Dementor, half ghost-like beings, they actually looked like little dark faeries. Hermione was sure none of Death's essence resided in Luna, the Dementor-like part was just affinity for shadow magics, but still. The two ghost-like beings had three babies before Bellatrix even gave birth to their first! Luna nor Helena didn't even have to be pregnant! It seems as if their 'children' just popped out while they were melding their senses just like some of those invisible mythical creatures they could see.

Titania. Named after a moon of Uranus and also the name of the queen of fairies in muggle literature.

Pandora. Named after Luna deceased mother.

and Volana. Named after Luna's sister, the person that gave her life and soul to give Luna her happy ending.

Luna and Helena had chosen those three names for their mini-fairy-dementor-ghost-like children. They didn't seem all that different from regular children aside from, well, being a mythical creature themselves.

The two had chosen to live in the Forbidden Forest to avoid the people that wanted to 'study' their children. Hermione had access to their Floo and could always visit anytime. Besides, the two said they needed peace and quiet to finish their book on mythical creatures anyway.

Hermione was happy that her friends were leading a life they truly wanted. The brunette had also made the two her incoming daughter's godparents.

Hermione's life was about to change as well as she watched her wife just a few meters away from her tossing fireballs towards Tenty after being hosed down with water while they were relaxing. The brunette nearly had a heart attack when Bella slipped near the water while throwing a fireball, but just before she rushed, a tentacle had already come out and supported her heavily pregnant wife.

Hermione could see how gentle Tenty was to her wife even if she threw spells at the giant cephalopod almost daily. She knew that her future children would enjoy having Tenty as a guardian pet.

Besides, who in their right mind would try to hurt their children protected by a giant squid? Oh, and just for future information... Tenty wasn't limited to Black Lake anymore.

Hermione didn't know how or why, but Tenty was actually learning magic. Hermione could only shudder at the possibilities if Tenty learned more. She just shook her head when she imagined Tenty learning how to shapeshift or possibly even become a... reverse Animagus... Humagus? She could only hope the squid would not want to takeover the Earth one day.

Back to her beautiful and heavily pregnant wife.

Yes, Bellatrix was nearly ready to pop.

The baby Bellatrix had wasn't their only baby though.

Hermione absentmindedly rubbed her stomach. It happened a month ago when Bellatrix was in another of her 'super horny pregnant' moments, but instead of playing with their regular god given genitals, Bellatrix had other ideas. Of course, Hermione tried to protest, but she couldn't really do anything against her pregnant wife waving around her huge flailing conjured appendage claiming it was vengeance for getting her pregnant.

Well, safe to say, Time magic trumps her own and Bellatrix had ravaged her over and over until there was no doubt in her mind that she would get pregnant from that. With the amount of 'Bella Batter' there was really no doubt since she had just filled every possible nook and cranny that was possible.

It was hot.

And, like Hermione predicted, she did get pregnant. It had only been a month and the morning sickness was horrendous, but at least their babies would only be separated by a few months.

Hermione couldn't help but think of all the other people that had their lives irrevocably changed.

The Weasley family aside from Ginny had never forgiven her for what she had done to Ron. No one had ever figured out how his magic core was destroyed, but they all blamed her for his disabled and rotting limbs. Healers were able to heal the rot, but full functionality of the damaged limbs was never possible. He could still move his arms and legs, but nothing after the knee or elbows from where she shot him.

The weasels had tried to sue and charge her, but there was no evidence against her aside from Ron's word and the recovering Ministry knew Ron's word wasn't much after he had lied about Hermione during the very first time he had charged her. The fear and godly amount of gold Hermione's family now had helped a little bit too. Magical Britain knew what Hermione and Isabella could do and they knew better than to mess with the two women.

Harry on the other hand, fully recovered. The boy-who-lived, yet again, had also taken charge of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as Head Auror, this time with his mind intact.

Ginny was able to join the Holyhead Harpies with no problem. It took a month or two for Ginny to warm back up to Hermione because no matter how nasty Ron had been, he had still been her brother. Well, that was until he shouted expletive words at her berating and accusing his sister for 'joining the evil lesbian orgy'. Let's just say that Ron had almost lost use of another appendage that day. It wasn't a good idea to mock a Holyhead Harpy that was carrying her beater with her at the time. Well, Ronald Weasley was never one to learn his lessons nor use common sense well.

Both Harry and Ginny were engaged, but decided not to marry for while. Harry wanted to focus on rebuilding and Ginny wanted to focus on her career, but both of them always took the time in their busy schedule to see each other.

It was Minerva that took the longest to actually get close to Hermione again. The old professor had tried to ignore Hermione for a good two months before both went back to their student-mentor relationship. Not confiding and telling Minerva of the situation had hurt her professor and Hermione had apologized and told her most of the story.

At least, Minerva was now busy with the reconstruction of Hogwarts. Hermione knew that Headmistress McGonagall would make this new Hogwarts better than ever.

Luckily, anyone from Hogwarts in their sixth or seventh year were allowed to take their N.E.W.T.s in another school to pass them if they wished not to wait for the repairs. Hermione, Luna and a few others took the chance right away. Hermione got an 'E', Exuding Expectations, in ten of her subjects. Sadly, she still lost to Bellatrix who had twelve because Hermione had decided to skip Muggle Studies and Divination.

Stupid Trelawney.

One confusing thing for Hermione were the goblins. They had absolutely no response. There weren't any charges or claims. Not even Gringotts tried to bar her from anything. Hermione wasn't sure if that was how they admitted their defeat or if there was another subtle plan waiting to spring. Well, even if Hermione was pregnant, she could still cast her Delerent Prorsus Omnia and destroy them all.

Dumbledore's body was found in the Death Chamber by what was left of the Ministry clean up and the Unspeakables. Everything was blamed on Dumbledore being the true perpetrator and Hermione didn't even try to steer the story that it was actually Death, a Deity-like being, that took over the Ministry and was aiming to plunge the world into chaos. Hermione would leave them to believe the lesser evil and let things rest.

A good thing for the Ministry was that Kingsley Shacklebolt was finally found and it actually seemed like the Minister was doing better now since his actions weren't under a dark influence anymore. Hermione did hope he could rebuild and lead the restoration of the Ministry well, if not, well, there were a lot of other choices for Minister of Magic.

Narcissa and Andromeda had also been a constant in both Hermione and Bellatrix's life now along with Teddy. Their Floo network was always open for Bellatrix's sisters and the two never hesitated to visit. Narcissa was still a bit annoying, but ever since Narcissa was able to plan both Bellatrix's and Hermione's wedding, she was more tolerable.

Yes. Both Hermione and Bellatrix had been married four months prior. Hermione Granger Black. Hermione Black, it did have a nice ring to it. At least their daughter would not be a 'bastard', Narcissa's words.

Gods, Hermione still couldn't believe she was pregnant.

It was still hard to tell, but Hermione could sense more than one new magical signature residing in her stomach. She was pretty sure she had triplets though. Bellatrix is a virile and fertile as a person could get, she didn't even want to imagine what it would be like if Bellatrix had her magical sword all the time they had sex. She'd probably be pregnant all the time. Gods, she needed to get a prescription for the pill. She doubted she would be able to predict when her wife would conjure that baby maker again and needed to prepare!

Hermione wouldn't trade any of this for anything though.

One thing that was a problem, not really an immediate one, was that Hermione and Bellatrix both did not age. Bellatrix had her Time Magic and Hermione's life force was now tied in with her magic core due to the embedded Unicorn thread. Passively absorbing magic in the air did wonders for skin and made her not age anymore.

Bellatrix did find a solution though, the dark witch was able to slowly move both their ages in time to show that they were still aging albeit way slower than others. When they became old, well, they might need to find a new place to live or someway to fool others, they had at least another hundred years before that anyway. It was just crazy how they were both immortal and Bellatrix could just switch their ages anytime. Bellatrix did stop being crazy about her age when she saw her breasts were starting to fill out again.

Thank the heavens.

"Luv."

Hermione did wish her parents were still here to see this, but she knew they would be happy for her and happy for their grandbabies. Maybe one day, they would find a way to see them again.

"Hmm?" Hermione hummed just content existing here and now.

Nothing could disturb her peace, nothing at all.

"My water broke."

SHITE!

It was a grueling several hours before Bellatrix gave birth. It took three medi-witches and five other witches to help deliver the baby. One medi-witch was knocked out, another was frozen and the last one that actually delivered the child had her hair singed from a fireball that nearly took her head off. The five other witches had to try and contain Bellatrix's magic and put out the fires that came.

Bellatrix's sisters, Luna, Helena and even Minerva, Harry and Ginny were all waiting outside for the news.

Hermione had helped too, she kept all of Bellatrix's dark magic at bay. Imagine if Bellatrix had access to her Tenebrae spells? A Dark Blade or a Dark Lance would have killed so many bystanders not to mention the damage to the whole area. Hermione's hand was crushed too, but it was worth it.

It was all worth it as she looked down in the bundle in her arms.

There was a tiny fuzz of jet black hair on her scalp, just like her mother. It almost seemed as if it were a mini-Bella, and Hermione already loved her so very much.

Hermione went closer and attached herself to Bellatrix's side on the bed while both of them gazed down at their beautiful, adorable, little daughter as she opened her dark irises and peered up at her mothers.

Their daughter titled her head adorably before giving in to crying out loud.

It was their daughter.

Their angel.

Hermione and Bellatrix had promised to uphold the family tradition to name their daughter after the constellations, but Hermione had a name she could not get out of her head and when Bellatrix heard it, she accepted it as well.

Hermione had, of course, promised Bellatrix that her triplets would follow the Black's naming convention. They already had three names for their future triplets.

Lyra.

Celeste.

And Cassiopeia.

The Black family naming tradition would endure, but not for their firstborn.

"Welcome to the world, Esther D'Lantiea Black."

Death is Eternal.

It had been dark for so long again, but it could feel. It could feel warmth and safety not the emptiness it had endured for eons.

It only wanted a place to live and to stay, but changing was not easy for a being that was not supposed to feel any emotion.

Warm.

It could barely move. It could barely struggle, but it knew it didn't need to. All the millennia of strife and void didn't even matter as it could now feel.

It may be fleeting, but everything was worth this moment of peace.

It knew everything was coming to an end though. The gamble and seed it planted had worked, but it seems as the warmth and safety it could feel was slowly dissipating.

It could feel itself being pulled away from its sanctuary, away from where it was warm and safe and there was nothing it could do. It could only curl upon itself and try to hold back.

It had the power to destroy worlds, but it felt so weak as it was being taken away.

The chill returned and it could still feel it. It was a bit surprised that the emptiness had not yet returned even though its thoughts continued to slowly be muddled.

Eventually, it could just open its eyes. It expected darkness, yet again, but was surprised to see it wasn't.

It could feel its thoughts dissipating slowly, as if it was merging with something else. It didn't know, but it knew it had nothing to fear even if its thoughts were losing cohesion.

There were only a few words that it could barely understand before every coherent thought dissipated.

"Welcome to the world, Esther D'Lantiea Black."

THE END...?

AN: And there, it is done. I hope everyone enjoyed the ride and I hope I did these characters justice and gave them the happy ending they deserved. Even the three unborn triplets that Hermione will have! I do hope I didn't miss anyone or anything important.

Further Insight: If the end didn't make sense, I'll explain it right now. Death made a gamble during the final clash. It shot its dark magic towards Hermione to give her an idea on what to do (Implanted the name too to an extent.) and it also buried Bellatrix's dagger in Bellatrix's stomach after infusing it with Death's own essence to have an anchor left in the world. All of this won't be found out by either Hermione nor Bellatrix until very far in the future.

Hermione was able to throw Death and all its essence back into the Veil, but they never found the tiny piece of Death within Bellatrix since it couldn't be discerned from her own Dark Magics. All of Death's essence from the Veil slowly filtered back through the Veil and into Bellatrix.

Death finally got the wish it wanted. To live and to exist. Death's soul/essence merged with its human counterpart and became one. I really find it funny and endearing that Death kind of became Bellatrix and Hermione's daughter. (Death's soul is kind of female since it was cursed/merged with Morgan le Fays soul.)

The character Death just became really important to me that I wanted to give it life and now, it will have the chance to live.

Naming: Esther D'Lantiea is an anagram of 'Death is Eternal' if anyone was wondering. Sorry if it was a bit lame, but it just felt right. Kind of like what Tom Riddle did with his name. I was going to use Morgana at first to be ironic, but the anagram just stuck to me. I was able to use the names for the other babies though~ :) Maybe I shouldve given Ginny a surprise too?

Thank you for all the feedback, suggestions (Name suggestions too) and all the comments and pms that have been sent to me throughout this whole story. I hope everyone has enjoyed this as much as I have. If there are any other questions, don't hesitate to shoot me a message.

This actually has the potential of having a sequel to where Esther realizes that she's Death Incarnate, but who knows?

For now, I'll be continuing my Twilight - Jane/Bella story and trying to think what to write about next!

Thank you again. This story is now Complete!