Just a Glimpse

Crescent Moon

The Golden Trio had left a week ago, after Bill and Fleur's wedding, after the warning of Death Eaters. They were officially on the run, hunting down Horcruxes to defeat Lord Voldemort. The woods were cold in spite of the heating charms Hermione had placed on their tent. She and Ron sat outside to keep watch, although Ron, his head resting on her shoulder, alternated between talking in his sleep and snoring.

As the wind whipped up and the sun sank down below the horizon, her mind wandered back to the latest vision of her future. It had been Fred in the wedding scene, and she had admitted to herself that the prospect wasn't half bad. Her eyes fell to the sleeping boy by her side; the boy she'd harboured a secret crush on for the past two years. And in that instant, her feelings for him were gone.

Carefully, Hermione extracted herself from Ron's side and moved inside. Her eyes locked on the small purse she'd brought along to store the supplies they'd need on their journey. The chocolates she'd been given by Fred were housed securely inside the bag. There were three left. Three more visions of the future awaited her. Admittedly, what she'd seen so far made her happy - her family surviving the war, marrying Fred, and receiving a prestigious teaching position at the top wizarding school. Nervous energy built in the pit of her stomach as thoughts of what would happen next swirled through her brain. The crescent moon was the next piece. White chocolate, she noted from memory, having studied the box multiple times. Now she just had to wait for the perfect moment to indulge.

Pulling out the box, she wandered back out into the cold darkness, light from her wand guiding her. Ron was still asleep, his head resting against the tent. Taking a seat near the flap, Hermione leaned back and removed the lid from the chocolate box. She studied the shapes once again, laughing mirthlessly at the resemblance of the crescent moon shaped candy to the moon hanging in the sky above. Her gaze flicked to Ron, willing him to awaken so she could consume the truffle without feeling guilty that no one was watching their surroundings.

The redhead stirred, let out a cough. Hermione popped the white chocolate into her mouth, tucking the box under her leg when she noticed her friend was conscious. Her eyes closed as the familiar veil of darkness settled over her, slipping into the latest vision.

Her eyes opened against the darkness, leaving Hermione to wonder if the candy didn't work this time. It was a different clearing than the one she'd been in in the present. Hogwarts castle loomed large behind her as she stared out over the Black Lake. There was no one else there; she was completely alone.

"What in the world?" she asked herself, moving closer to the water's edge. The crescent moon reflected on the still blackness of the water, but as she got closer she could see her own reflection from the moonlight. She was home again, she realized. Back at the castle, back at her school, but why?

From the corner of her eye, Hermione spotted a dark figure moving closer to the spot where she stood. She watched as Fred Weasley approached, his eyes locked on the castle. He settled himself against a tree while he waited, Hermione guessed, for her. Hermione studied him as he waited. His red locks were shorter now, more clean cut. While he wasn't old, lines had started to form on his face around his eyes. Laugh lines, she deduced. He was always laughing at something. Instinct caused her hand to reach out and touch his cheek. She'd never touched him before in this setting, this setting where she was invisible and he might not really exist. She felt a shiver course through Fred, unsure if it was because of the wind or her touch.

Fred's head turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Butterflies flapped in her stomach as her future self approached, an undeniable look of worry etched into her facial features. She backed away as Fred stood, took another step back as he moved to his wife (to her), and then another step back when he drew her into an embrace and planted a soft kiss against her forehead.

"Your owl sounded urgent," Fred said, leading her to the tree he'd previously occupied.

Hermione's nerves again built as she watched the couple.

She noticed how the older version of her would look anywhere but at the man by her side. "It was," she spoke in a small voice. "Remember when I told I wasn't feeling well?"

Fred nodded anxiously, reaching for her hand to soothe her nerves. "Well, there was a reason."

"What is it?" Fred asked.

"I'm pregnant."

Hermione's arms crossed over her stomach when she heard that. The older Hermione lifted her eyes cautiously to gauge her husband's reaction. Fred was quiet as he looked out at the lake.

"I can't tell if you're happy about this or upset," he said, his hand tightening around her own.

Hermione sighed. "This just changes everything."

"Well, yeah, some things will have to change, but not everything," he assured her. "We can move into the flat about the Hogsmeade shop. This way you can still teach here, but you'll be close enough to get back and forth easily. We're Fred and Hermione, we'll work it all out."

Finally, she lifted her head to look at her husband squarely in the eye. "This baby is going to be lucky to have you for a father," she murmured, suddenly feeling his lips meet hers.

He leaned his head against her forehead. "This baby is going to be perfect," he told her, resting a hand on her stomach. "Are you okay now?"

She nodded. "I'm good."