The End Is The Beginning Is The End

8 months later

Hermione lay in bed, behind her Lucius caressed her belly.

‘Is there anything you need?’

She stared at his hand, studying the fine bones, the elegant lines.  It looked so masculine above her very pregnant belly.

‘No,’ she answered honestly, ‘I’m okay.’

‘Very well.’

She wanted to place her hand on top of his but could not bring herself to do it.  She swallowed.  And settled with him simply holding her.

It was early morning, in the moments between dawn and night, and she found she often awoke at this time.  Only to fall back asleep later, but she could not deny that she found these moment with him oddly comforting.

More and more it was becoming easy to accept these little gestures, and more and more she found herself ‘pretending’ that the past did not exist. 

Would it always be like this?  Everything was gray, and she didn’t know what to think or do anymore.

'What are you thinking?' He murmured.

Hermione couldn't tell him the truth.  If it were a different time of day maybe, but not now.

Because truthfully, somedays she hated him.  Other days she found herself enjoying his company, only to hate herself after.

But during this time, she felt like he was just a man and she was just a woman and there were no names or anything.  Just two people, and she liked that the most.

'I was just thinking of something from when I was little.  My mother and father took me to travel, and I saw the ruins of a city beneath the water.  I thought it was sad.'

'Cities can be rebuilt,' Was his soft reply.

She was begining to drift again, 'I guess that's true.'

She raised her hand to touch his….and then put it back down.

Lucius pulled her closer, if that were possible, and she let him.

Hermione stared ahead at the wall and felt her eyes begin to drift close.

Who knew what the future held in store.  But right now….

In this moment….

Things weren't bright and sunshiny…

But it wasn’t so dark either.

__________________________

THE END!

First, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR PATIENCE AND SUPPORT!  Emphasis on the patience, since I know some of you really wanted to read more and my updates aren't exactly consistent.  I really,really appreciate your support and comments.

  Second, I always have abrupt ends. I know.  I feel like I have these awesome beginnings and yet the ends still need some work.  Actually, all my stories need work.  I am constantly trying to improve my writing.  So yea, ignore that false cockiness.  Girl gotta’ improve her writing.

Lastly, I really struggled with ending this story—I certainly felt like I could keep going and going with the way things were going, and I didn’t want that.  I wanted an ending, and I picked this one because it is sort of ‘unclear’ what the future holds.  Which I like because she endured some REALLY awful, awful stuff with Lucius.  So the future can be good, or bad. 

Now I can devote time to working on my other stories—I still have two Draco/Hermione stories and one Rin/Sesshomaru story.  Thank you all for supporting me!!!!