Getting Over It

Epilogue

Hermione stood on the platform awaiting the Hogwarts Express; Millie was returning home for the summer after her third year. Many parents and smaller children were crowded on the platform all eagerly waiting the arrival of their children.

She smiled as she saw Sam running towards her with Oliver following. In his arms was Josh, their one-year-old son.

"Sorry we're a little late there was a problem with one of the parents at school," he said as he kissed her and she took Josh off him.

"I thought you were going to miss us. Millie would have been so disappointed if you had. Why did you have to deal with it?" Hermione asked, not really annoyed with him.

"I'm the headmaster now; it's my job." He grinned. "Look, here she comes!"

He pointed along the tracks and sure enough a cloud of steam could be seen making its way closer to them. As soon as the scarlet engine pulled to a stop Hogwarts students began pouring out, looking for their friends and families. Millie finally spotted them and raced over. She dropped her case and broom to the floor and pulled Josh from her mother's arms, wrapping him up in her own.

"Look how much you've grown!" she exclaimed with delight.

Oliver bent and picked up her things and they began to walk towards the barrier that would take them back out into Kings Cross Station.

"How about we go out for dinner tonight?" Hermione suggested. "We're celebrating the start of the holidays for us all."

Everyone happily agreed to this and Sam and Millie started the usual argument of where it was that they wanted to eat.

--

When the restaurant had been decided, reservations made and everyone dressed to go they stepped into the fireplace – Hermione and Sam first, followed by Millie, then Oliver and Josh.

They sat at their table and picked up the menus to begin choosing what it was that they wanted to eat. Hermione scanned the room and her eyes fell upon someone that she didn't want to see. So as not to cause a scene, she quietly excused herself saying that she was going to the bathroom. Asking Oliver to order for her, she walked over to where her ex-husband sat alone.

"Hello Mark," she said dryly, standing over him.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed, looking up at her.

"Alone? What a shock!" she said sarcastically.

"Are the kids here? Can I see them?" he asked desperately.

"Yes, my family is here and no, you cannot see them, you know that."

"Please, just five minutes."

"No, Mark. You stopped paying your child support and I got full custody of them, so you have no right to see them."

"They need their father!" he protested.

"And they have one now; Oliver has legally adopted them both," she snapped back.

"But they need their real father."

"No, Mark. They do not need you, they will never need you! What they need is a man who they can look up to, who can be a role model. Have you ever been that? No, of course you haven't, so it would be best for all of us if you leave and never ever come back. They don't need you and neither do I. We have Oliver now and he's a much better husband and father than you ever were."

When she returned to the table she could not stop smiling. Finally, she felt that she had put Mark into his place; he was finally out of her life for good. She had what she always wanted: a career that she enjoyed and made a difference in people's lives, three wonderful children, and a husband who loved and respected her to share all of it with.

Finally, she was over the heartbreak and ready to get on with living her life.