Family Ties

Hermione looked through the letters. Wow. This man was tough, even though he was a Muggle, or Squibb, or, well, whatever. Fighting like that. He must've loved his family so much!

She was reading the old, yellowed letters that Jacob Granger wrote. And she thought of Harry, Ron, and herself fighting Lord Voldemort. Sheesh! That must have been at least thirty years ago. How Harry and Ron fought so bravely, distracting Voldemort, allowing me to give the killing blow. They gave up all of the glory, to me. It could have been a final showdown. Harry versus Voldemort. No. Wait. Their wands would connect again. So it had to be someone other than Harry.

As she fell deeper into her thoughts, Harry entered the room.

"Daydreaming, are we Hermione?" he asked playfully as he kissed the nape of her neck.

Hermione bolted upright. But then she melted to his kiss. Then she read a letter aloud:

"'Dearest Mary,

I love you with all of my heart. I know I start every letter like this, but I don't know which will be the last.

We are doing okay, no diseases... at the moment. Jacob Junior was luckily sorted into the Army of Northern Virginia with me. He is okay. I haven't heard from Sean...

...Oh Mary. I can never stop loving you. If a minnieball happens to find me, promise me you won't cry too much. With me and your sons gone, YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF. Love, we are as good as dead. Men have perished by my sides. And if the good Lord intends for me to go next, so be it.

Faithfully and always yours,

Jacob

Jacob finished his letter. He and his company were currently encamped in Fredericksburg, trying to stop General Burnside. He must have been a good shot, as he was the first one behind the stonewall, firing the shots, while behind him, Jacob Junior and others reload.

He could just barely make out the sounds of rifle fire in the city below. He thought of the countless deaths. If the Yanks are going to be as straightforward as always, well, then they're going to lose a lot of men.

The bugle sounded, men gathered to attention. Jacob stood in the ranks like everyone else. Uniform as always.

"Today is the day the Yankees are coming. Already, they are crossing the Rappohannock River. Today, you all will prove yourselves as soldiers. Your families depend on it. You homes depend on it. Your country depends on it. Show them damned Billy-Yanks what you are made of!!" General Robert E. Lee addressed his soldiers.

"In your positions!"

Jacob took his place at the wall, Jacob Junior about three men behind him. As he saw the beginnings of the Union forces marching in front of him, he thought about his wife Mary. He thought about Jacob. He thought about Sean, wherever he was. And he tried to think about life before this damn war. But it was hard.

Artillery fire sounded. The mass of the Union troops appeared. The battle was on.

"Jacob really loved his family," Harry said in amazement.

"Yeah. Umm, Harry?"

"Yes Hermione?"

"Would you do that? If you had to go off to some war, far away, would you write me often? Would you start every letter 'I love you'?"

"Hermione! Of course I would. I would write you and each one of our children. I love you so much. I don't know if I could do what Jacob is doing, staying away from he like that."

"Oh Harry!"