Lucky
She looks exhausted. Her hair is streaked with grey. Her eyes once bright with that questioning fire are now dull dead brown. Her body once young and supple is now emaciated and her posture is hunched, but only slightly. I'm walking towards her and for the first time in years actually seeing her.
"Hello Hermione. How is he today?" I ask already knowing the answer.
"Oh!" she responds as though she hadn't seen my approach, "Hello Severus. He's doing quite well today. Although he still seemed better when under my care."
"You know perfectly well that this needed to happen. You took such good care of him but neglected yourself. It's a wonder you didn't collapse before now."
" Yes well," she must still be upset with me for ensuring his move. "I better get going," she says as she finally looks me directly in the eye. "He'll be expecting me back." She grabs the tray of food off the counter, turns, and walks away from me.
As I head over to the house elf carrying cups of tea, all I can think is how lucky I've been in the years since the war. She spent every moment of every day taking care of Ron, with his brain muddled because of a slapdash decision on his part during the final battle. He suffered days of the cruciatus curse to protect my Harry and it ruined his life and hers while I got days spent laughing with Harry, a husband that I adore, and children that have now granted me grandchildren.
It still startles me to think how things could be if it weren't for their sacrifice. I'm here now for a regular checkup and she is here every day to basically have nothing but a memory of a boy that she loves. Knowing what I know now, could I ever be that loving? Of course I could but would I?
"Excuse me, dear," a kindly woman interrupts my thoughts, "Are you going to be getting anything? Or may I cut in front of you?"
" Of course," I reply, being completely knocked out of my brooding. " Of course."
As I walk away from her and return to my room and my perfect husband all I can think is how lucky I am.