Epilogue

It was snowing. There was a breeze that made the snow swirl around them and erase their traces as they continued to walk under the gray, brilliant sky. Harry covered his eyes when a bunch of snowflakes flew towards their faces, and then raised his eyebrows when he heard a choking sound, turning around towards Hermione.

“They all went into my mouth!” she exclaimed, outraged, still coughing. Harry grinned but didn't laugh, knowing that she would get angry. Just like when they visited Godric's Hollow, the graveyard was covered in white, virgin snow, and the trees were devoid of leaves. It was strange to realize that Harry had visited his parents two years ago... He'd have to return someday... To tell them about the news... And Hermione would come with him, right? Of course she would. He remembered that night as though it had been a few days ago.

“... looking down at the thick snow hiding from his eyes the place where the last of Lily and James lay, bones now, surely, or dust, not knowing or caring that their living son stood so near, his heart still beating, alive because of their sacrifice and close to wishing, at this moment, that he was sleeping under the snow with them.”

“A sickle for your thoughts?” Hermione's calm voice broke his reverie. As they walked the atmosphere became calmer and even solemn, and the only sound that could be hear was the sloshing of their shoes on the snow. Harry looked down at their joined hands and smiled melancholically.

“Just remembering when we visited my parents,” he answered. “You were holding my hand back then, too.” Hermione smiled.

“We visit them again anytime you want.” Harry nodded and squeezed her hand, making her smile widen.

It took only a few more meters of walking to reach Ron's grave, now covered in white; the stone was shiny with frost. Harry kneeled down to brush the snowflakes off Ron's name, and Hermione again produced a bouquet of flowers out of thin air and placed it in front of the tomb. They both took a step back then, silently staring down at the final resting place of their best friend and brother.

“I wish we could see him again,” Hermione finally murmured, and her voice was almost lost among the wisps of cold air. Harry put an arm around her shoulders and drew her closer, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder.

“He knows we loved him, you know,” Harry also murmured, not daring or wanting to raise the tone of his voice. Hermione agreed with her head, glancing at the petals of the flowers she had placed in front of his tomb. They would soon wilt and die, and the wind would pull them out of the stem, and they'd come to rest Merlin knew where. She kneeled down to touch them, loving how soft the texture was, and wished that they would never die, but that was impossible. Death was something inevitable, wasn't it? They could cast a charm so they wouldn't wilt, but even that would not last forever.

She felt her eyes water and felt embarrassed for a couple of seconds, not knowing why exactly she was starting to cry. Her fingers still held the delicate petals, and she noticed that her hand was shaking slightly. Hermione closed her eyes when she felt Harry's hand on her shoulder, squeezing softly, and she knew that she wasn't alone- that she'd never be alone.

“It's alright,” Harry whispered in her ear (when had he kneeled down?), kissing her temple. Hermione nodded, tightly pressing her lips together, and when he let out a shaky breath she knew he was trying not to cry.

She knew that she would die, someday. And that Harry would die, too. It was unavoidable. But Hermione knew that no one died without having loved someone, and that no one died without having been loved.

Harry and Hermione had loved Ron, and he had loved them back.

Perhaps they would meet again, in dreams. Or maybe, when they died, they'd see him again just like nothing had changed.

But for now, they just had to live.

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A/N: And there it is. Short like the prologue... I got strangely emotional writing this chapter (when I wrote the last sentences, I was listening to the Patronus theme in the soundtrack), so I hope that it's good? I had planned another ending for this story, but I decided against it. *sigh* I loved writing this story, and I thank you all for reading it and reviewing!