The Winds that Die Alike on Land and Sea

"You're sure, Ginny?"

"One hundred and twelve percent positive. I saw him myself."

Hermione shook her head. "I--I can't believe it. He's alive...I thought for sure..."

"We all did, Hermione," Ginny said comfortingly, patting her hand. "But it's all okay now. He's alive. Barely, but alive."

Hermione rose. "Where? I have to see him..."

Ginny shook her head. "You can't, unfortunately. They won't let anyone near him until he comes round. He's in pretty bad shape, you know."

Hermione started to sit down, but she heard a squawk from the next room. "Hold on a second," she said to Ginny, then slipped into the other room.

A white wooden crib, not of very high quality, stood in the middle of the room. Inside it was a small baby with a soft fuzz of dark hair and huge brown eyes. He held up his arms to Hermione and cried.

"Shh, sweetheart, it's okay," Hermione soothed, scooping the little baby up. "Come on, Jamie-boy. Let's go sit with Aunt Ginny."

With her small son on her shoulder, Hermione returned to the living room and sat down opposite Ginny again. "Will he be all right?"

"From what Neville told me, yes, but it's going to be touch and go for a little while," Ginny said. She reached out and stroked James's hair gently. "He's such a good little boy."

Hermione smiled proudly at her son. "Mummy's little angel," she cooed softly. "Mummy's little James."

"Does he know?" Ginny asked quietly.

Hermione knew what she meant and shook her head. "No...I found out after we thought he'd died. He has no idea."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"Why do you think I wanted to go and see him?" Hermione asked in mild exasperation. "Ginny, of course I'm going to tell him. And I'm leaving here as soon as I can find my own flat."

Ginny blinked in surprise. "You really love him, don't you? To leave here just like that?"

Hermione looked down at the ring he'd given her two years before--a ring she had refused to remove even when it looked like all hope was gone. "Ginny," she said softly, "I wouldn't still be wearing the ring he gave me if I didn't. I'd be wearing a different one."

"A class ring?" Ginny suggested.

Hermione looked up in surprise. "I didn't tell you? Ron asked me to marry him just after we got the news."

Ginny's eyebrows shot up. "And you said no."

"I said that I'd already given away my heart, that it wasn't mine to give anymore, and I could never marry anyone else," Hermione said quietly, patting James lightly on the back. "I could have never loved anyone but Harry. And then I found out about James..."

Ginny gave her a smile. "I understand, I guess. I'd feel the same way if anything happened to Lee."

"When's the wedding, by the way?" Hermione asked.

The two girls chatted amicably for another half-hour, then Ginny said she had to go. "Lee and I have dinner plans," she explained, standing. "If I hear anything new about Harry, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Ginny." Hermione hugged her best friend around her sleeping son. "Have fun at dinner, and tell Lee I said hello."

"Can do, will do, done. See you round, Hermione."

After Ginny left, Hermione took James back to the nursery and put him down in the crib again, then began thinking about packing. Everything she owned she had bought herself, except for one or two gaudy trinkets or outrageous outfits Ron had given her. Those she would leave. She would take the baby's things, of course; he wasn't Ron's child anyway.

Hermione had been heartbroken when the news had reached her that Harry was dead. She hadn't spoken for some time and had cried easily. Ron, seemingly full of concern, had offered to let her move in with him. She had accepted that offer, but not his offer of marriage, if only so she wouldn't have to be alone in her grief, so that she could be around someone who shared her memories of Harry. It quickly became evident, however, that Ron had no desire to talk about Harry. Hermione suspected he had been so upset about the news he didn't want to think about it. He'd be thrilled to know that Harry was alive after all.

Life was funny that way, Hermione mused. By their sixth year, everyone had believed that she and Harry would never work--that they had never had any feelings for one another--and they had believed it themselves. Perhaps it was true; Hermione had sort of had a crush on Ron, and Harry had fallen for Ginny. But at some point in their seventh year, Harry and Hermione had fallen in love. Ron and Ginny had been completely understanding and supportive. Hermione looked forward to seeing Harry again.