A New Beginning (DH -COMPLIANT)

Chapter 18 ~ Another Resurrection

Snape summoned Eli and asked him where the package originated from.

"The Miss sends it," the elf responded.

Ah. So Harry sent the package to Hermione first to make sure it was delivered as well as to not let on that he knew the Potions Master was alive. Hmm. It must have been difficult for the curious witch to let that package pass through her hands without knowing what it was.

Severus sat there for a moment, thinking, then put the stone back into the box, covered it and handed it to Eli.

"Give this back to Mrs. Weasley and tell her I said 'Thank you.'" the Potions Master said.

"Yes sir," Eli said, winking out.

Hermione was curled up in the armchair reading the latest issue of Charms Today when Eli winked in and walked up to her, holding out the box.

"The Master says thank you," the elf said, handing the box to Hermione and winking out.

Hermione put the magazine down and looked at the covered box. It wasn't wrapped. Now, she could see what it was Harry had given the Professor. Biting her lip, she slowly opened it, then let out a little gasp as she saw the symbols of the Deathly Hallows on the cracked stone.

"It's the Resurrection Stone," she breathed.

Harry had never told anyone how he was accompanied to his death by his mother, father, godfather and Remus Lupin. He kept it to himself. As a result, Hermione had no idea exactly how the stone worked, if it worked at all. Supposedly, it brought back the dead, though didn't truly resurrect them. They remained dead, just accessible.

She picked the stone up out of the box and rested it on her palm, studying it. During her examination, she turned it over.

Suddenly, the room darkened somewhat. Startled, Hermione looked up to see a wisp of smoke form in front of her. It coalesced into a familiar form. A painfully familiar form, tall, redheaded, blue-eyed and smiling.

"Ron?" Hermione said in a voice full of disbelief.

"Hermione," the ghost said.

"Is this some kind of vision? Or illusion? Or hallucination?" the witch asked him, looking down at the stone for a moment, then back at the wizard. He looked so solid, so real.

"No, I don't think so, Hermione. That's the Resurrection stone. It brought me here because I'm the one person on the other side you wanted to see the most," the ghost said, smiling, "I miss you."

Hermione's eyes glistened.

"I miss you too, Ron. I still can't believe what happened to you. I was devastated," the witch said.

"I know. I saw everything. I'm so sorry this happened, Hermione. I wanted to be with you longer than I was. I wanted to be there for Hugo and Rose. I wanted to see the Chudley Cannons reclaim the World Cup," the wizard said, "But, that's just not how it was supposed to go. But at least I was happy. I was so happy with you, Hermione. You made my life good and I'll forever be thankful for that."

"Oh Ron," Hermione sobbed, tears freely falling from her eyes.

"I'm proud of you too. You stepped up to the plate and now you're doing just what you were meant to do. Making more galleons than I ever could have. I'm glad of that. You're brilliant Hermione. You were always too brilliant for me. I don't know how I ended up with you," the ghost said, his blue eyes full of love.

"You ended up with me because I love you, Ron. You were a good husband and a good friend. I never regretted marrying you," she said, "Even though there were some hairy moments for a while..."

"Yeah," he agreed, "The whole "me the wizard, you the witch" thing. It was just how I was raised Hermione. I wanted to take care of you the way dad takes care of mum. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Hermione smiled through her tears.

"No Ron. There's not a thing wrong with that," she said to the ghost.

They both fell silent for a moment, then Ron cleared his throat in that familiar way he had when he was about to say something he knew Hermione probably wouldn't like.

“Hermione, I’m gone now. I mean, I’m not really gone but you have your whole life ahead of you,” the wizard said carefully, “I don’t like the idea of you spending it alone. I was a jealous git when I was alive, and I can’t believe I’m saying this now . . . but I think it would be good if you could find someone to make you happy now that I’m out of the picture.”

”But . . . but you’re not out of the picture, Ron. I still love you,” Hermione said, her eyes wide.

”I still love you too, Hermione, but things . . . things are different here. You can see life much clearer when you’re on the other side. You can see that the most important thing that people can share is love. I love you, Hermione and I always will. I love you enough that I want you to find even more love now that I’m gone. It doesn’t mean I love you any less, or that you love me any less. What we had can never be erased, Hermione. I just want you to live a full life, and the fullest life is one where there’s love and companionship. I want that for you. I want you to be happy,” Ron said to his wife, “I can’t stand the idea of you being alone when Rose and Hugo grow up. I don’t want to see that happen. You have too much to offer someone else, someone else who might need the kind of love you can give. It’s a gift, Hermione. You shouldn’t keep it to yourself or deny yourself because of my memory.”

Hermione looked at her dead husband. He had only been gone a little more than a year. She hadn’t even entertained the idea of meeting anyone else, much less falling in love again. Ron had been her everything.

”Ron, I don’t want . . .” she began.

Ron scowled at her.

”Don’t argue with me, Hermione,” he said, “I’m dead and you have a life to live. I’m not saying go out prowling around for some bloke to replace me . . . I’m just saying if the opportunity arises and you connect with somebody, be willing to take a chance it can become something more. That’s all I’m asking, Hermione. Will you do that for me? Please?”

Ron gave her those puppy-dog eyes he was famous for. It usually worked for him. It did again.

”All right, Ron. I’m not going to go looking for anyone, but if I feel something and the feeling is returned, maybe I’ll give it a go,” the witch said.

She was rewarded with a bright smile from the ghost.

”That’s the girl,” he said, “Now, I have to go, Hermione. My time’s up.”

For a moment, just a fleeting moment Hermione thought she could use the stone and make Ron stay here with her, like the man in the fairytale kept the ghost of his beloved with him. But she was a prisoner and miserable. No, she couldn’t be that selfish.

As if he could read her mind, Ron said, “You have to let me go, Hermione. Don’t summon me again. My time is over. Let the dead rest and the living . . . live. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

Hermione nodded, her tears starting again.

“I love you, Hermione Weasley. I’ll love you until the end of time,” Ron said, fading out. The room brightened again and Hermione let out a sob.

”I’ll always love you too, Ron,” she whispered at the empty space, wiping at her eyes and putting the stone back into the box and closing it.

Then she cried for quite a long time.

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A/N: A short chappie I felt was necessary to the story. Now we can move along. Thanks for reading.