In The Water

Moke

Seventeen months and one week since Hermione left, Evelyn Potter passed away. I spent that last months of her life at her side. She told me about her husband and the love they shared. Of her son and the trouble he would get into with his friends.

"She loved you like family. You know." James said after the ceremony. I nodded and we stare out at the ocean in silence. "She never gave up hope that her little mermaid would come back."

"Evie said she use to sit Hermione on her lap and read her that fairytale. That Harry would get mad because he wanted her to read the beanstalk story." I said wistfully and James laugh softly.

"Yeah the two of them would argue for her attention. They loved their grams." I walked him back to the house and went to the beach wading into the water. My nightmares about that day at Black lake had stop when she left. Losing her was scarier then anything else I experienced. When I was about knee deep I sat down. The water was cold but tolerable.

I took the chain off my neck and looked at the two rings. Evie told me it was time to move on but I can't. It feels like there is a band around my heart, something tugging at it constantly.

"Baby, We had the funeral today. It's stupid but I kept hoping you'd show up. But you didn't." I've started talking to her a few months ago she once told me she could hear me in the water. It brought her back once, I naively hoped it would do it again. "They want me to move on with my life. Meet a girl and start living again. I can't, you may have choose him but I still chose you."

I stayed sitting in the water, holding the rings. I was tempted to throw them into the ocean. That would be pointless because I would just search for them the moment they left my hand. The day had been exhausting and rested my head on my knees. My dreams were hazy, a sad voice talking softly. Barely audible over the waves crashing. Small trails of coldness across my face followed by a tugging feeling. No images just sounds and feelings. The sun woke me up, I guess the tide had gone out already because I wasn't in the water anymore and was laying down. My hands were empty, I had lost her rings. Panic filled my lungs as I looked around. I saw the chain shining by me. It was broken and the pearl ring was gone. The band was still there though.

Part of me wanted to believe it was her. But as the months go by that belief faded. Around the twenty third month Harry and Ginny got married. After the ceremony the two of us went down to the beach.

"We're leaving." Harry said as he rolled up his trousers. We took off our shoes and took a couple steps into the ocean. "I found her right around here."

"Yeah Evie told me. So you're taking the Cannons deal?" I asked as I stuck my hands in my pockets. He nodded and looked out at the ocean.

"Ginny's pregnant. She wants to be closer to her family. I think it's time we started living our lives again. We've all been stuck on pause since Hermione left us." I know he was including me in his we. I bit my lips and nodded.

"I'm happy for you two." Was all I could say as I stared down at the water.

"I know you are, we want you to come with us." His offer was plain and I knew he meant it. I pulled the chain out and held the ring in my fist.

"You know I can't brother." He patted my shoulder and we looked out at the ocean together.

"I know. I just wanted to say goodbye to her. Just can't stay here anymore, it hurts to much." I left him in the water so he could have some privacy. The dock was still there but Evie made me sell the boat so I would stop going out looking for Hermione. I walked to the end and sat down putting my feet in the water. The wind going though a trees or something sounded like a weeping woman. A few moments later I heard him walk down the docks and sit beside me.

"Mom and Dad are selling the main house. They want you to keep the guest house. It'll take awhile to separate the properties and they have to sell Grams house as well." I couldn't blame the Potters, no reason to stay hidden anymore. I'm glad they're letting me stay. I would have given them every galleon I had to stay.

"Thank you." He nods and gets up. Ginny and him leave two weeks later. Thirty three months after Hermione left,Evelyn Luna Potter was born. They sent me a wizarding picture of the beautiful little girl and another plea to join them. Lily and James were having a hard time selling the two estates. Not a lot of buyers for a mansion in the middle of nowhere. They were worried about me. Honestly I was worried about me. The days I spent maintaining the properties, nights spent in bars. I avoid strangers beds because this small of a town they wouldn't be strangers for long.

"Cedric honey, the fence down by the beach was damaged by the storm last night. Can you fix it for me?" Lily was always finding small projects for me to do. After forty eight months she was running out of things for me to do. They were finally able to sell Evies property. Another buyer expressed interest in their house.

"Of course. The buyer is coming tomorrow? Think they'll commit?" I ask as I gathered some tools to take down to the beach.

"James thinks so, it's a family. Six children, can you imagine. I'll be happy knowing the place will be filled with laughter again." She handed me a thick pea coat before I headed out.

"Yeah, it's been filled with sadness for too long. I'll get the fence patched up and take you to town around noon." She nodded and kisses my forehead before I head out. I don't think I'm prepared for them to go back to England. It's been nice being part of a family. They almost make me forget I'm completely alone in this world.