Well, my darlings, all good things come to an end, and this is it. Thank you all for reading, reviewing, and supporting this little story. To everyone in Quidditch and Quills who voted for this story, thank you. It won Runner Up for Best In Progress story. (Hidden won Best Long Fic, Best Marcus, and Best Hermione, so thank you for that, too.) A reviewer asked if I might ever be inclined to try Oliver Wood/Hermione, and a plot bunny hopped by, so that's where I'm headed next. The first chapter should be up in a few weeks. But for now, enjoy the end.

Chapter 34 Full Circle

It took her until January 3rd to track down where Ron lived. She eyed the small cottage on the edge of Hogsmeade. She briefly wondered why he lived in such a dumpy house then remembered where he grew up. Without her influence, he chose to raise their son in a similar fashion. Her parents had told her that Ron refused to even date, let alone remarry. In her wilder fantasies, Veronica imagined he would open the door and confess how he loved her and missed her. That he didn't care how they began they could start over. Hugo would welcome her with open arms and declare his family complete again. A small voice in the back of her mind told her she sounded ridiculous. Ron might not have remarried, but if it was because of her it probably wasn't a good thing.

Giving herself a firm shake, she flung open the garden gate and walked up the path to the front door. She knocked firmly, straightened her shoulders, and waited. A gorgeous teenager opened the door. Long black hair flowed down her back in a riot of curls. She narrowed her gray eyes. "Can I help you?"

Veronica briefly wondered if this creature was Hugo's girlfriend. She looked a bit young, as Hugo was sixteen, and the girl looked fourteen or fifteen tops. "I'm looking for Ron Weasley."

The girl looked her up and down again, "He isn't here." She slammed the door shut.

Veronica knocked again. This time a younger teenager answered. This one screamed, "STRANGER DANGER!" And again the door slammed.

Annoyed, this time she pounded on the wooden door. When it opened again three identical teenage boys stood there. Being triplets clued Veronica in on their identities. "Look, you brats, I'm looking for Ron. Where is he?"

Once gave her a contemptuous look, "At work, duh. It's 10 o'clock on a Tuesday." One of his brothers began to close the door.

"Wait, is Hugo here?"

"He doesn't want to talk to you."

"Otherwise he would have answered the door, wouldn't he? Please leave," he closed the door.

She blinked slowly. She hadn't expected that reaction. Who didn't want to see their mother? Especially after all this time. The door opened again. A young girl looked up at her, "Hugo says if you don't go away I can bite you." She bared her teeth and chomped. "So, please stay." Veronica began to back away. "No, don't go." Veronica tried not to run as she exited the garden. "Come back, please?" pleaded the child. She kicked the ground, "I never get to bite anyone." She went back into the house.

Veronica returned to the main thoroughfare of the village. Where Zonko's used to be sat Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. She knew where to find Ron, at work. She moved down the street with purpose. He wouldn't be able to shut the down in her face without causing a scene. Something she bet he wanted to avoid at work. She entered the store, the riot of color and noise smacking her in the face. Items whirled, squealed, and flew. A sweet faced witch in magenta robes greeted her brightly, "How can I help you today?"

"I'm looking for the manager."

"Mr. Weasley is a the register, miss."

Veronica picked an aisle and made her way to the back of the store. The register sat on a raised platform, allowing employees to monitor the sales floor. Ron watched his ex-wife enter and head his way. He contemplated dodging her but decided they had to see each other sometime. Better to be in a place of his choosing. He knew she had seen him when she changed her facial expression into what she thought a seductive smile looked like. Why had he ever thought her attractive? Been flattered by her attention? No matter, she was the past.

"Hello, Ron, you're looking good," she purred.

"What do you want, Ms. Weasley?"

"That's a fine hello for your wife after thirteen years."

"Perfectly pleasant for my lying ex-wife. I repeat, what do you want?"

"To see our son, have a conversation, be civilized."

"My son doesn't want to see you right now. And no one is going to force him."

"Teenagers kept slamming the door in my face. One screamed stranger danger."

"Lily," Ron grinned fondly.

"The last one threatened to bite me."

Ron nodded, "Lucy. How that lamb ended up in Hufflepuff amazes me. Though she is an equal opportunity biter. She bites everyone."

"Whatever," she huffed.

"I have no interest in talking to you. I made that clear before. We have nothing to discuss."

"Ron," she whined, "I have no money, no place to go."

"Your parents took you in. The ministry told me. You need money, get a job like the rest of us. And before you ask, no, we are not hiring."

"She pouted, "Ron, love, I need your help."

"The answer remains no. Now buy something or get out."

"Fine, but I will be back. He's my son, too."

She'd wanted to keep the Weasley name for the fame, but it had the opposite effect. People remembered her, remembered what happened. With no qualifications or experience, the best job she could find was waiting tables at the Leaky Cauldron. Which was far better than some of the more labor intensive jobs she had found. Some places she suspected didn't want the scandal attached to them. She watched the Hogwarts Express departure, but due to the sheer volume of Weasleys remained unsure of which one was Hugo. None of them looked like Ron or herself. He returned her letter unread. She didn't know what to do.

Just after the end of the school year, she watched a group of teenagers bounce from the public floo. One reacted to a stunning girl calling out Hugo. Veronica smiled as the beauty batted her eyelashes causing her son to crumble and agree to something. The girl danced about celebrating. The group moved through the taproom and into the Alley. The girl paused to collect something. Veronica rushed to approach her. "Are you Hugo's girlfriend?" she asked hopefully.

"What? Eww, no. He's my cousin, gross."

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

"A girlfriend? No. He has like six, bit disgusting really. But none of them seem to mind, so whatever." Veronica opened her mouth to ask another question. "Nope, no, not happening, Ronnie. You want information on your son, you ask him."

"How?" she started.

"Did I know? I'm not stupid. Poor quality clothes, outdated haircut, unhealthy interest in a teenage boy. Either you're a creeper or you're his mum." she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"And just who are you?" Veronica demanded.

"Rory Flint." The girl started walking, "Later, Aunt Hannah." Despite the rage flooding her senses, Veronica stood still and remained silent. She needed this job. Otherwise, it was things like shoveling dragon dung at Gringotts.

Eventually, Veronica learned Ron's continued bachelorhood was more of a self-imposed penance than waiting on her or any other woman, save perhaps Hermione. Even there he accepted she'd moved on. When he encountered his ex-wife in public he nodded curtly and quickly moved along. Towards the end of Hugo's 7th year, she decided to try and talk to Ron again.

On her day off she flooed to Hogsmeade and sought out Weasleys Wheezes. Ron immediately headed for the stockroom when he saw her.

"Ron, wait, please. I just want to talk, no shenanigans, I promise."

He stopped and turned, crossing his arms over his chest, "Well, talk."

"I just wanted to apologize for everything, all of it, since the beginning."

"Because you regret doing it or because you regret getting caught?"

"Doing it," she lied. She only regretted not cutting Jeffery out from the start. Or perhaps hooking him up with Ginny to fake date.

"Fine. Apology accepted. Now go away."

"Wait, please. I want to know how Hugo is doing?"

"He's fine. Shame you only wanted to complain about your unjust imprisonment when he reached out to you before. If only you had shown this level of interest before."

"I was still angry. And I took for granted that he would always be there, waiting."

Ron's eyes narrowed, "What right do you have to be angry about any of this? You are the one person who absolutely was not anyone's victim. Though, keep stalking your son, and Aurora and Kaia Flint might make you theirs." She looked at him blankly. "They have their mother's sense of justice, but their father's Slytherin streak. Of all the kids I think Fred and George are the most proud of them, and a little afraid. They are ruthless and you are starting to annoy them. Mostly because if he sees you following or staring it bothers Hugo."

"Why?"

"They were raised not to repeat our mistakes. All the kids take family seriously. And they know the whole gory story of the war and our little scandal. Dominic and Hugo both play the field, but they are upfront with their intentions, no games." He shook his head, "They are both better players than their parents. Kind of reminds me of Sirius Black."

"Please, I just want to know our son."

"Then put in the work. Write him, someday he might respond. But understand, no one will force him to read them or answer you. And he knows that."

She nodded, "I understand."

"Be sure you want a relationship. If this is for attention it will backfire. He owes you nothing. I owe you nothing." He paused, "He knows you potioned him so you could cheat. Remus Flint got him the transcripts. They all know." She nodded grimly.

Veronica faithfully wrote her son weekly, asking questions about

his life and answering them for herself. A month before graduation he sent a letter.

Ms. Weasley,

Dad explained why you've been writing me. I appreciate the effort. But honestly, I've lacked for nothing during your absence. Our family, mine and Dad's, surrounded and supported us. Your family, and yourself, strove to manipulate and alienate me from people who have done nothing but care for me. Even the woman who should despise me, my very existence causing her pain once, stepped up. She taught me what I needed to know to succeed at Hogwarts. She showed me what unconditional love looks like. All while never saying a negative thing about you to me.
She keeps encouraging me to let you prove you have changed. But never pushes too hard. So, here is your olive branch. You may come to graduation and the party at the Burrow after. One look, one word, one sign you cannot accept all of my family and you're out. As the muggles say, the ball is in your court.

Hugo Weasley.

She reread the letter several times, contemplating what he was asking of her. She had to play nice with Hermione and her spawn. Smile while he tested and judged her. It wasn't fair. She went back and forth on whether she would attend.

The morning of graduation Veronica made herself as presentable as possible and flooed to the Three Broomsticks. She joined the throng heading up to the castle. She intended to sit by herself across the room from the Weasley family. But fate frowned upon her. She found herself two rows behind them. She watched her son accept his diploma. The proud smile stretched across Ron's face broke her heart. He had never smiled that freely at, or with, her.

The ceremony concluded and the graduates dispersed into the crowd. Hugo beelined to his family. Ron hugged his son tightly, "So proud of you."

"Thanks, Dad." Hugo stepped back and pulled out three gold colored sticks. He turned to Molly, "Dad won't want one of these." He flicked one of the sticks. It transformed into a beautiful gold rose. "Thank you for loving me and making me feel included and special."

"You never have to thank me for that. Just doing my Nana job." She took the rose and hugged him.

He turned to Fleur and created another rose, "Thank you for helping me dress better than a homeless urchin." Everyone laughed at his faux French accent.

"As if I could do anything less. What would people say?" Fleur sniffed playfully, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "But you are welcome, mon petit."

He hugged her, "Not so little anymore." He then moved in the direction Veronica stood watching in. For a brief second, she thought he was approaching her. Her breath caught until he stopped in front of Hermione. "More than anyone in the world you had good reasons to walk away and let Dad flounder trying to raise me. I will never forget you telling me to be the family member I wanted to have. You included me in the homeschooling. You broadened my horizons. Showed me family is who shows up. Thank you for being my family because no one would have blamed you for not." He handed her the last rose. She hugged him tightly, he rested his head on her shoulder.

"So much dust in here," Ron joked, wiping his eyes as he watched his son embrace his ex-fiance.

"Right?" said Charlie.

Looking up from Hermione, Hugo saw Veronica and made eye contact. Veronica smiled and gave a small wave. He walked over, "Hello. Thank you for coming."

"You're welcome. I wouldn't have missed it. Thank you for inviting me."

"You're welcome. Would you like to come back to the Burrow for cake?"

Glancing behind him to see the gleeful anticipation on the faces of two sets of twins she declined. "No, I just wanted to be here to see this milestone, I missed so many."

"I understand. I suppose I will see you around, maybe."

"I'd like that. Have fun. Congratulations." She watched her son leave with his family and realized decades ago she sought to replace Hermione and leave her alone, and through her misdeeds and selfish actions, Hermione replaced her and she was the one alone.