Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, settings, or situations from the Harry Potter books. Ideas from "A Christmas Carol", of course, come from the book by Charles Dickens.
Christmas Yet-to-Be
I must have fallen asleep without realizing it because I awoke to a calm, assured voice.
"Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley, do wake up."
Opening my eyes, I saw Professor Dumbledore looking at me with a twinkle in his eyes. I sat up quickly.
"Yes, sir. I'm awake." I yawned. "Again."
"Then come, Mr. Weasley, we have much to see."
"You're the ghost of Christmas Future, right?"
"Well, actually, I'm called the ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Be, but yes, I am." He held out his arm graciously. "Take my arm, if you will."
"Where are we going?" I asked as I climbed out of bed.
"That is for you to see," he whispered as I took his arm.
I found myself standing on a lawn in front of a large house, all its windows bright from the lights inside. "Whose house is this?" I asked the ghost/Dumbledore, but he only motioned for me to follow him to the window.
The scene inside the house was of a happy home at Christmastime. There was a large Christmas tree with many presents under it. The house was beautiful, the furnishings obviously very expensive. As I watched, two children ran into the room and plopped down beside the tree, pulling presents toward them to open. The boy was very tall and dark, but the girl was small, with long bushy chestnut hair. She looked very familiar. Then their father came into the room, and I recognized him immediately. It was Viktor Krum. He stood by the door laughing at the sight of the children tearing into the wrapping paper, then turned and called to someone who was in the other room.
"Professor Dumbledore, who else is in there? Please...please, Professor...tell me it isn't Hermione. She didn't marry him, did she? That little girl...she looks like..."
Then I saw Hermione walk into the room, dressed in expensive-looking robes, her hair pulled into an elaborate bun. She was beautiful. She laughed along with Viktor (her husband...she actually married him) as he put his arm around her shoulders. The children kept opening presents until there were none left to open, then they ran to their parents and hugged them, thanking them for the gifts. A maid entered the room, apparently telling them that dinner was ready because they followed her into another room. I went to another window and saw them sitting down at a long table filled with sparkling china, candles and a ton of food. I watched for a moment, then turned away, unable to watch anymore.
"She married him. Hermione married Krum. And he's been able to give her everything. This house. Those clothes. She even has servants." I turned to the ghost, not even embarrassed for him to see the tears that I couldn't stop. "What could I ever give her? Nothing! She deserves everything, and he can give it to her. I can't. All I have to give is my heart, and that's not enough." I looked back through the window. "She looks so happy," I said, my heart breaking.
"Looks can be deceiving, Mr. Weasley. Come."
I looked once more at Hermione's face. She was looking at the children so lovingly. I turned away and took the ghost's arm.
Suddenly we were in a very dark, quiet place. I looked at the ghost questioningly, and he held up one finger, indicating for me to wait.
In a moment, I heard the loud crack of someone apparating, and turned to see Hermione standing among some trees. She lit her wand using "Lumos", then walked past us. I followed her. She was wearing the same robes I had seen her wearing at her Christmas dinner. It was apparently later the same night.
We were in a graveyard. Hermione walked slowly around the gravestones, apparently knowing the way very well. Soon she stopped and used her wand to light up a small grave marker.
The name on it was Ronald Bilius Weasley.
I turned to the ghost in terror, but he merely gave me one of Dumbledore's kind looks and again motioned for me to wait and listen.
Hermione sank down on the ground in front of the (my!) gravestone and began to cry, burying her face in her hands. After a few moments, she reached out and touched the name on the marker.
"Oh, Ron. Why? Why did you do this? I loved you so much. I still love you so much. I should have told you how I felt. But you never showed any interest in me other than friendship. I was so afraid you would laugh at me. I couldn't take that." She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "I should have never married Viktor. I love my children, but if only...if only they had been ours...yours and mine. Oh, Ron, I miss you so much..." she broke off, sobbing, covering her face with both hands again.
I turned to the ghost with desperation. "Does this have to be the future? Does it have to be like this? Can I change it?"
"The future is constantly changing, Mr. Weasley. Our future becomes what we make it."
"Then take me back. I have to change this." I turned back toward Hermione, my heart aching at seeing her in such pain. "I love her. I have to tell her."
The ghost smiled. "You are a wise man, Mr. Weasley." He held out his arm. "Come."
With one last look at Hermione, I grabbed his arm like a drowning man would grab a life ring.