Chapter 17 (Updated)

How would you describe your Christmas? London was covered in a blanket of snow. The lights from sparkling lights warmed the chilly air. Stores were closing early yet people still wanted a chance to finish their Christmas shopping before heading home to be with their families. It was like any other Christmas scene anywhere in the world.

Inside one of the mansions, a figure stood in front of a huge window. Her gaze was settled on the snow-covered gardens of their home. She took the wine glass from the table beside her and took a sip. She held the stem of the wine glass between her slender fingers and let the glass rest on her palm. Her red lips formed a straight line when she remembered the last happy Christmas she had. She remembered those times when she played snowball fights with her friends, Christmas dinner with her family back at home, or in the Great Hall. She could hear faint laughter, an echo from her memories.

She forced a sigh to escape the memory. She turned around and faced the magnificent fireplace in the room where she always escaped to. It wasn't as big as the rooms in the mansion but it was a perfect place for her to be at peace. She placed her wine glass beside and a half-empty bottle of wine and sat down on the armchair. As she listened to the crackling fire, her brown eyes reflected the flames as they danced. She thought that all of those years she could look back at the past with less pain but the intensity was as if it was inflicted yesterday. It felt like the scar never healed and the memories were like salt being poured into an open wound. She heard a faint knock coming from the half-opened door.

"Come in." She spoke and slowly pushed herself from the chair. She fixed the wrinkles of her white jumpsuit.

A man opened the door and greeted her with a handsome smile. He slowly approached her and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. She giggled and returned the gesture with a kiss on his cheek.

"Dinner is ready, Hermione." He informed her.

"Alright. Go ahead, Cormac. I'll be right behind you." She told him.

"Don't be too late. The butler is also calling everyone." He took her hands and placed a kiss. He turned his back and headed for the door.

After taking a sip of her wine she didn't realize a heavy sigh escaped her lips.

"Thinking about that day again?"

Cormac was about to leave but heard her. For all the years they had known each other he knew what was troubling her. He also knew this was a room she likes to escape to.

Hermione turned around to face Cormac who was leaning against the door frame with a frown forming on his lips. The sudden feeling of vulnerability flowed through her body. She wrapped her arms around herself and approached the fireplace.

"I can't help it." She admitted. She closed her eyes and remembered that day she watched Draco marry someone else. She was more or less sixteen weeks pregnant.

She was far from London when the news of Draco and Astoria's engagement. Due to the far-flung area she was assigned to she had not heard of it. When the program was over she returned to London not knowing about the engagement. The hype had died down but the anticipation for the big day was still there. It was days after when she had learned about the engagement.

"I try to forget, Cormac." She gripped her arm when she remembered the wedding.

"You always tried," Cormac started and approached her figure. He grabbed Hermione's cashmere shawl and draped it on her shoulders. "but you can never avoid it."

Hermione smiled and wrapped the shawl around her body. She turned around to face Cormac and placed her left hand on his cheek.

"You helped me get through all of it, Cormac." Hermione affectionately rubbed her thumb on his cheek. Her eyes settled on his and remerged all of the times he had saved her. "I thank you for that. If it wasn't for you, I would have been in a huge mess right now."

"Anytime." Cormac returned the gesture and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I owe you a lot and I am bound to you after all." Hermione let a small smile appear on her lips.

"Yes, you are." He chuckled and took her hand that was resting on his cheek and kissed her ring finger where a diamond engagement ring was sitting on a wedding band. "For fourteen wonderful years."

Hermione giggled and embraced her husband for fourteen years.

"Master Cormac?" A small house elf with big blue eyes appeared. "Dinner is ready, Master." Said the elf with a bow.

"Thank you, Kippey. We'll be down shortly." Cormac replied.

"Shall we, Mrs. McLaggen?" Cormac offered his arm.

"Yes, we shall, Mr. McLaggen." She looped her arm around his and made their way to the dining room where a holiday feast was prepared and a few family members were waiting.

After everything that happened after the war, Cormac had begun to see things in a new light. Despite having lived with a notorious attitude of being a rude, inconsiderate, and a strong sense of entitlement, the war had changed him. His shift began when he returned to Hogwarts and when his father died. The battle had not only changed him, it fully transformed him into who he is now. He's now considerate, understanding, and kind. He's the total opposite of who he was back in his early days in Hogwarts.

Hermione couldn't believe it at first but seeing and experiencing it was enough for her to truly believe it wasn't an act. She even admitted to herself that if Cormac was like this back then she would have agreed to date him but seeing as she was taken with Ron back then she would have considered it.

Nonetheless, it was all in the past now, she is happy to be called Mrs. McLaggen.