25 years passed since the war and 24 years since they've graduated from Hogwarts. Those who survived those 25 years were between the ages of 42 and 44, the ages that those who were lost were meant to be. Yet, the memories came flooding as if they happened only yesterday. The Great Hall still sturdy as if nothing had happened. As if Bellatrix Lestrange didn't blow it up. As if it wasn't once filled with dead bodies and those grieving the dead bodies. Oh, if only the walls could talk, they still wouldn't. The trauma would be too damaging to usher a single word.

The students were back not only to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the end of the war, but also to celebrate the retirement of their favorite headmistress, Minerva McGonagall. Hermione Granger loved and respected Dumbledore but she had a close relationship with the retiring headmistress. "Logic mixed with emotions, Ms. Granger. Always remember that." she had once told Hermione. And today, she will be retiring from Hogwarts, a bittersweet moment.

"Ain't it odd that it's only now that I feel like my childhood is over?" voiced Ronald as he approached his best friend.

"I completely understand. Can you imagine Hogwarts without McGonagall?" Hermione responded.

"Just like I couldn't imagine Hogwarts without Dumbledore, but we made do." Simply responded Harry who joined them.

The trio had survived Hogwarts and they have survived Voldemort. Their friendship was unshakable then and is unbreakable now. Harry married Luna Lovegood, which produced 2 girls and 2 boys. After the war, things did not go back to the way they were and that reality troubled Ginny. Ginny truly did love Harry but could not live in the past and wanted a quiet yet interesting life. They broke up on friendly terms and it was Ginny that set up Harry on a blind date with Luna. Ronald married Lavender Brown. It was an obvious choice, and even Hermione rooted for them. They also have four children, 3 boys and 1 girl. Hermione was a happy aunt and godmother to her best friends' children, as they were happy uncles and godfathers to Hermione's 4 sons.

They announced that commencement of the ceremony and everyone took their seats. Hermione was not paying attention because she was rehearsing her own speech. Hers was the last one. On queue she got up and walked to the podium. From start to finish, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Hermione spoke of the headmistress's patience towards the students and the staff, her dedication to Hogwarts but to research as well, her competence as a witch, and her just ways. But what surprised everyone, was Hermione's description of McGonagall's love, "A mother's love for only a mother could dedicate and sacrifice herself equally to over 1000 children". At the end of the speech, unlike the prior speakers, Hermione walked to the headmistress and hugged her, which earned a standing ovation.

"Perfect as always Mione", said Lavender as she gave the witch a hug. Lavender had appreciated Hermione not only because she was one of Ron's best friends but because Hermione fought tooth and nails for the rights of werewolves, especially their right to access appropriate medical treatments and affordable medicine.

"Thank you, Lav. Listen, I'm going to go to the Astronomy Tower. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. I guess what Ron said just really hit me: it truly is the end of my childhood."

"Go. I'll let them know where you are".

"Thanks, Lav".

Hermione made her way to the tower, relieving each memory, good and bad. Once there, the beauty of the night didn't escape her, nor the fact that someone was behind her.

"Hello, Malfoy".

"You knew that I was following you?"

"No, but I did feel someone following me. I just didn't know who it was until a whiff of your cologne hit me."

"It's not shocking that your six sense is in tune with your surroundings. You certainly had practice… You still remember my cologne?"

"Tonight is a night for memories, Malfoy."

"How are you, Granger? It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Indeed, it has. I'm actually great. I just had to come here for some air. Being around a big crowd isn't really my forte."

"It may not be yours but it's certainly Weasley's. Every time there's a gala, he's right there, eating up the attention."

"And here I thought that you've outgrown your jealousy, Malfoy".

"Me? Jealous of a Weasley? Surely, you're jesting!"

"You're a 42-year-old man, Malfoy. Isn't it high time that you give up on trivial things?"

The remark triggered silence between the duo. The silence lingered to the point that Hermione turned her back to Malfoy to look at the view. "Why did you come here? I know that the Astronomy Tower is a triggering place for you".

"I was simply following you, Granger" Malfoy answered. The silence returned but this time heavier than before. "Are you happy?" he merely whispered, hands shaking as he's holding the rails and looking at the view as well.

"I am."

"Being a wife and mother were what you've always wanted and now you've fulfilled your dreams."

Turning around to look at him, she responded, "Being a wife and mother to a man who loved me in the open are one of the things that I wanted. And yes, I did fulfill that dream."

"But Granger, does he really make you happy?"

"Malfoy, let me ask you the same question, are you happy? I don't think you are from the rumors that I'm hearing."

"What rumors?"

"You're a womanizer to the point of fathering a child with a mistress. I believe the womanizing part, but the child?"

Malfoy quickly looked away, avoiding eye contact.

"It is true" Hermione confirmed. "And what of Astoria? What did she say?"

"Astoria is being a good pureblood wife. Keeping her mouth shut and opening it when needed. That's what a good wife does. She shows a united front with her husband regardless of the circumstances."

"What a sad life."

"Is it though? Is she sad, Granger? She has a husband who is able to provide whatever she wants or needs, and she has a son and daughter. Why would she be sad?"

"There's more to life than money, Malfoy. Is it necessary? Absolutely. But there needs to be more. There needs to be love."

"Apparently love is not enough either, Granger. You left me in a heartbeat, remember."

"I left you because you wanted me to remain in the dark. You wanted me to be your eternal secret."

"I wanted to love you in peace. Granger, you were my choice. Merlin, you still are. If you asked me to resume our relationship, without thinking I would say yes."

"I wasn't your choice, Malfoy. I was your easy solution because I was your kept dirty secret. You were able to have access to me and when you were done, you would go to the societally acceptable person. Love? You didn't love me. That's not love, Malfoy."

"You saw it as a 'dirty secret to keep', I saw it as the act of a desperate man wanting to remain with the woman he loved. I was looking for spells that would bound us for eternity. I was looking for spells that could marry our souls while I had to physically marry another. I was looking for spells that would give our children a different hair color so they wouldn't be called bastards. I was looking for ways for us to be together!"

"Instead of doing all of that, why couldn't you simply walk away from the pureblood standards? No, don't answer. I'll answer for you. You couldn't because it would mean telling your parents that you were with a mudblood. And despite it all, Malfoy, you couldn't disappoint your parents like that. You were looking at every possible solution when the simplest one was in front of you."

"That word, even though I did use it when I was a child, I've never used it since. Not since I fell in love with you. And yes, you are right, I couldn't tell my parents, but not because I was ashamed of who you are. No, I was never ashamed. It was because they would be disappointed in me for realizing that pureblood rules and standards were shit. See, to the world my parents are filthy arseholes, but to me, to Draco Lucius Malfoy, they were and are the greatest parents who ever lived. I needed for nothing, including love. So, was I, their only son, going to spit in their faces like that? Granger, I couldn't. I can't. I thought that you knew and understood that. You're making yourself to be a victim. You were never a victim in this."

"Malfoy, I was."

"The fuck you were!" Malfoy shouted. "You knew that I was with Astoria when we were together. It was no secret that you were my mistress, Granger. Don't fucking call yourself a victim when you knew that I was a taken man! Why wouldn't you let me touch you without bathing after a date with her? Why did we have to sneak around to be together? Why did you stupefy me when you saw me holding her hand? Tell me!"

"Alright then, maybe not a victim per the definition, but I was a victim of love and of trusting you. When you told me that you were looking for ways for us to be together, I thought that you meant talking to your parents, breaking off your engagement to Astoria, and telling them about us. You lead me on. That you surely can't deny."

"I didn't lead you on, love. You said it yourself. You were in love. And we all know that a woman in love is a stupid and submissive woman. Granger, if you weren't in love, you wouldn't have let me touch you the way that I did. I fucked you raw… our lovemaking would bruise you from head to toe, but you accepted it. Deep down, you knew that our relationship would have been a secret. You may lie to yourself, but not to me, love. Never to me."

Hermione tried calming herself down. She was taking deep breaths because of the truth that Malfoy just told her. She was a woman in love, she was a stupid and submissive woman, but she was also a hopeful woman. She had hoped against the odds for them, yet there was a reason why they called them odds. So, yes, she knew that she was lying to herself back them. Or maybe, she was simply too hopeful.

"Why did you follow me, Malfoy?"

"Do you truly love him? Does he truly… truly make you happy, Granger?"

"Yes, Malfoy. I truly love him and he truly makes me happy. After you, after our break up, I was not well. I wasn't well mentally, emotionally, or physically. I was a shell of my former self. He noticed it and accepted it and became my friend. His acceptance of my state and his encouragement for me to get better are what changed my perception of him. I asked him if he cared for me and he said no. He said "I don't care for you but I am in love with you." That's it. That's all that it took. Even though he was pureblooded, he loved me."

As Hermione spoke, her eyes never left his. His eyes were glistening with unshed tears as hers freely fell on her cheeks. As he took a step closer to her, she took a step back from him. Time stood still between the former lovers. The breeze was flowing through them as if connecting them as they stood apart from each other.

"You asked me why I followed you. Well, let me give you an honest answer. I miss you. you said that you weren't okay? Well neither was I. After being forced to marry Astoria and fathering a child with her, I thought that it was over between us and that I would resign myself with a woman that I didn't love but have all of the affairs I wanted to. Then, I read the headlines in the Daily Prophets, 'The brightest witch of the Golden Trio to get be wed!'. I went to Potter to ask him to deliver a letter to you but he didn't take it. He said, "Leave her alone, Malfoy. You had your choice and you tossed it away." and threatened me with harm. You know I was there the day you got married…"

"I know."

"What? How?" stunned by her revelation.

"I didn't notice you but Ronald did. Ronald saw passed your glamour and told me years later."

"Didn't know he was that capable." Malfoy pensively stated. "Then you bore him kids. Granger, you bore him 4 sons. That's when I became destructive. I didn't care. And then tonight I saw you. And all of the memories came back. Us laughing, us fighting, and us fucking. I took your virginity. I came in you. Don't you remember, love?"

"Stop it."

"I miss you and I was thinking …"

Hermione took a step towards him and put her hand on his chest, "I love my husband and I will not betray him."

"But you're willing to betray me?" he said quietly.

"I have to go back. I've been gone for far too long." Hermione stated as she headed towards the stairs, wiping her tears from her cheeks. But before she left, she turned around to look at Malfoy once last time. "Mr. Malfoy, I have but one wish for you and that is for you to find true peace and true happiness."

"Do you believe in reincarnation, Granger."

"I actually do."

"Do you think that we could be together again in the next life?"

"Maybe"

"The next life it is then. It will be better for us. Till then, Mrs. Krum."