Always- a Hinny / Romione fanfic

Chapter Sixty Seven

"Hermione I'm not going to-"

"I'm scared!" Hermione was furiously wiping hot tears from her cheeks, embarrassed, trying to shove them back into her eyes. "I thought, after all these years..." She hiccuped. "I'm still scared."

Ron took her into his arms, holding her close, smelling her hair, running his calloused thumb along her back.

"I'm scared too. That's why I work. When I'm quiet, when I'm not busy, I think. When I think, I remember. I remember everything. I remember Fred's dead body on the ground, remember Harry, how I thought he was dead, I remember all the cold nights, I remember you screaming..."

Hermione sank into a chair, gripping his hand tight.

"We survived. We have a family." She gave him a watery smile.

"We're really having another baby?" He asked, playing absentmindedly with her hair.

"Yes."

They sat smiling, hands clasped, until they fell asleep, breathing in sync.

***

Professor McGonagall was an old woman now. Her hair was sheer white, her spectacles thicker than a thumb, her hands worn and laced with spidery blue veins. She needed a cane, and took slow, hobbling steps.

The cold wind bit at her sunken cheeks, and she drew her cloak around her shoulders, and continued across the grounds in the cold late March wind. Hagrid's hut was off in the distance, a warm glow in the chilly night.

She knocked with brittle knuckles on the old oak door, the sound cutting through the chilly evening. The familiar sound of fang's booming bark brought a smile to the old woman's face.

"Professor McGonagall!" The door swung open to Hagrid's smiling face. The effects of age were not there; his hair was still sleek black, his eyes still bright, a smile stretching ear to ear.

"Come in, come in, I can make you a cuppa..." McGonagall shut the door slowly, swaying on the spot.

"Been a bit since you've come ter visit meh..." Hagrid's bustled around with the kettle.

"I'm an old woman...not much up to coming down so far from my office these days," her voice was weak.

Hagrid's observed her with sad eyes as he set a mug of steaming tea in front of her. "So what brings yeh tonight?"

McGonagall's gaze met his. She smiled.
"I've been doing quite a bit of thinking...and I couldn't help but stare at that sword of Gryffindor hanging in my office." She took a sip of tea. Hagrid's eyebrows crinkled together, wondering how this concerned him.

"Which of course, led me to think about the chamber of secrets, which of course, led me to think of you."

Hagrid was at a loss for words, so instead he took a sip of tea, and gave Fang a long stroke.

"That was such a terrible thing for you to be blamed for." Her tiny, shriveled hands found his large ones. Hagrid was speechless.

"It took away a lot from you. You could have been a great wizard. You shouldn't have been expelled."

Hagrid tried to speak. He wasn't sure where this was going.

"How would you like to have another chance at Hogwarts next term?" Hagrid looked up in surprise, gratitude and joy all at once. Professor McGonagall smiled. "Start fresh with the second years. It's never too late you know."

"Professor-"

"You deserve a chance Hagrid. You always have."

Hagrid burst into tears, throwing his full weight onto the poor woman in a bear hug. Shocked, professor McGonagall patted him on the back faintly, as he sobbed with gratitude into her shoulder.

"Thank you," he whispered
****

I LOVE ALL OF YOU WHO STUCK WITH THIS BOOK AND I AM SO SO SO SORRY 100000000X YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW SORRY I AM IVE BEEN DEALING WITH SOME SERIOUS SHIT BUT IM BACK AND I LOVE YALL