The Baby Project

Graduation

With Hermione at the castle, the weeks seemed to have flown by. It was already the week that everybody was graduating, and Hermione could hardly believe it. She was so proud of Draco. He felt confident in all of his exams and even said that he did better than expected in Transfiguration. Hermione had helped him study when the babies were asleep, and it really helped them get back into a routine. 

Hermione missed being able to study and throw herself into work. Not that parenting wasn't working; she just loved to read and learn new things, and right now, she wasn't getting that much reading time. Her children required 100 percent of her attention, and she loved them for it, but she couldn't wait to pull out a book and read it to them. To see the wonder in their eyes, the longing to know what was going to happen next. 

"Can you believe it is the end of term already? Can you believe it is the end of our time here? Can you believe that you have kids, and I am about to have one?" Ginny hadn't stopped asking questions like these since Hermione, and she had sat down at the edge of the black lake.

"No, Gin. I really can't." Hermione looked around, thinking about all her memories that she had made in this wonderful place. Everything was so...magical, she thought. She didn't know another way to put it. She had embraced every minute of it and had found her closest friends. She had made her way through a war and had survived. She had made her way through a law that she disagreed with entirely but somehow had found love. She couldn't believe it. 

She had found love with Draco Malfoy, someone that had tormented her years earlier. She had children with him and was glad he was there to parent with her. She found it funny that she had no idea if any of this life when she was born, but her children would never know anything but this. They would live in a completely different world than she did. One day though, they would sit here, just as she had, and she hoped that they would all see the beauty in it. The wonder and magic in it all. 

"Are you sad to be leaving Gin?" Hermione had tried to keep this exact question from entering her mind because she was beyond sad. She loved it here. It was her home; somewhere she felt safe and warm. She didn't want to leave. 

"Of course I am, but at the same time, I am happy to be starting my life. You know, not in the way any of us imagined, but I am still happy. COuldn't say that I would be if they had paired me up with anyone but Harry, though. I really think they chose wisely in that regard. We would have gone down fighting. 

"Yes, Ginny, I was there when all of that was going on, remember. I completely froze. I hardly remember anything after that. I recall sitting there, not moving."

"I recall trying to keep Harry in his seat. He was outraged. He's okay with it now; he knows you are happy. Everyone does." 

Ginny and Hermione talked for a while longer about all the good times they had shared and everything they would miss about the caste. Hermione smiled at everything Ginny mentioned about Harry, and in truth, Hermione was going to miss seeing her best friends every day. Knowing that they would be there without fail when she woke up and before she went to bed. She knew, though, that they were only an owl away and that she would always have them in her life. Gin, Harry, and Ron were not going anywhere that she was happy about. 

"I think we should head in. Dinner will be starting soon, and I don't want to miss one last feast here. I am afraid I am never going to be able to cook like my mother," Ginny let out a giggle from her statement. Hermione knew that she would be great at everything she tried, even if Ginny didn't know it yet. Not that Harry was going to care one way or another. Hermine felt as if Ginny did deep down even though she joked about it. Ginny was capable of anything, and everything and everyone knew it. 

"I think so too," Hermione helped her friend up off the grass. She really did look like she was going to have this baby any day now. Hermione thought of all her friends at this moment. They were all going to be mother's very soon, even Hannah. When Hermione found out that they had finally gotten pregnant, she cried. She was so happy. She had wanted that baby so much, had already loved it so much, and was heartbroken when it was lost. But this was her second chance, and Hermione knew there wasn't going to be another child loved as much as theirs. They were going to cherish every moment with their baby. Hannah deserved it. She had gone through so many treatments to get pregnant, and Hermione thought the pain would break her if it didn't happen soon.