Unofficial Portkey Archive

Author's note: Well, here's the epilogue…please be sure to read the final author's note at the end…it will give you a hint as to what my next story would be. Thank you guys for hanging in there with me through the good and bad parts of this story. I will let you know that Draco and Ginny are only mentioned very briefly in the epilogue.

Chapter 28 (EPILOGUE)

When I Fall In Love

"When I fall in love
It will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love

And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you"

(Nat King Cole or Celine Dion, "When I Fall In Love")

Graduation Day

Hermione was a jumble of nerves. She hadn't slept much the night before. Ron had teased her about freaking out because she had to deliver a speech in front of her classmates and their families , but that wasn't what had her on pins and needles. She had her speech down cold and could say without a doubt she could probably give it in her sleep.

No, what had her so on edge was what would come after the ceremony. Her parents were arriving this morning. Normally, this wouldn't have been cause to worry. She was always happy to see them, even more so now in the wake of her father's heart attack. Yet, today was a different story.

After putting it off for weeks, she was finally going to tell her parents that she was going away with Harry for a year. Sure, she'd talked a good game to him months ago when the idea came to her for them to take the trip. She'd told him her parents would understand. That was before Easter break.

It had started out innocently enough. She'd decided to go home for the Easter holidays and in hopes that her parents and Harry would get to know each other better, he'd come along. She could tell her father was a little uneasy with his only daughter being under the same roof with her boyfriend, but he'd relented with some coaxing from her mum. Hermione certainly hadn't told him that she and Harry had been sharing a bed for months now. She had a feeling he wouldn't have understood that they hadn't done anything beyond sleeping. Well, that wasn't exactly true…but at least her virginity was still very much intact, though just barely.

Long story short, she and Harry had actually been on quite good behavior. He stayed in the guest room and she stayed in her own bedroom. They'd done nothing other than hold hands and sit side by side in the presence of her parents. Until…that one day her parents left them alone in the house to go out for brunch with some friends.

Harry and Hermione had decided to spend the first part of the day watching movies. Well, a couple of days of hand holding and chaste kisses were not cutting it and they'd given in to a full snog session on the Granger couch. This would have been well and good if her Dad hadn't returned because he'd forgotten his wallet.

He'd been none too pleased, to say the least. A red-faced and mortified Harry and Hermione sat there for nearly an hour as her father went over the responsibility of being a young adult. Luckily, her mother had stopped him before he went into a detailed discussion on the birds and the bees.

That being the case, she knew that they might not be too keen on her traipsing around the globe sharing hotel rooms with Harry. Time was running out though, she had to tell them today. She and Harry were scheduled to leave for Hawaii first thing tomorrow morning.

She'd spent the majority of the morning, locked up in the bathroom, trying out different ways to break the news to her parents.

"Mum, Dad," she began, a stern expression on her face. "You've raised me to be a responsible adult. I hope that you trust in me and believe that I will do the right thing. Now, I'm sorry to break this to you, but Harry and I are going away on holiday for a year. See you soon!"

She shook her head.

"They'll never buy that, dear," the mirror said back to her.

"You're of no help whatsoever," Hermione snapped back.

"Just doing my job," the mirror replied.

"Oh, bugger off!" Hermione exclaimed. With that, she walked out of the bathroom to find Harry and Ron sitting on the sofa playing a game of exploding snap. Or, at least that's what she thought they were doing. They'd been talking in hushed tones and when Ron saw Hermione come into the room, he looked pointedly in her direction and the conversation stopped and the room became quiet.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Nothing," Ron said. "Nothing whatsoever."

"Yeah," Hermione said, not believing him for a second. "You two haven't got any last minute pranks on tap for the graduation, do you? Because, if you do, I only ask that you wait until after I make my speech."

"That's insulting!" Ron retorted. "Why would you think that I would be planning any sort of prank?"

"Maybe because I've known you since we were 11," Hermione answered. "And you should really think twice about doing any pranks, Harry. You are Head Boy after all."

"Harry, do you really want to spend the rest of your life---," Ron began, but Harry kicked him hard on the leg.

"What did you do that for?" Ron asked, rubbing his leg.

Hermione looked at the two of them with a bemused expression.

Hermione bent down to pick up her shoes from the floor and Harry used this diversion to mouth the words, "Keep quiet" to Ron, who nodded in understanding, but still glared at him as he rubbed his injured leg.

"You two are soooo strange," Hermione said, shaking her head at them.

"And you love us for it," Harry said, smiling at her.

"Well, I love you for it, anyway," Hermione said. "Ron…is another story."

"Thanks," Ron replied sarcastically. "You should be nice to me. You're not the one with Draco Malfoy for a brother-in-law now are you?"

"He and Ginny haven't married yet, have they?" Hermione asked. Ginny was still a sore subject among the trio. She'd left Hogwarts nearly three months ago. The baby was due any day now and from what Ron had shared with them, she was doing okay back at home. As she was so far along in her pregnancy, she wouldn't be attending the graduation ceremony.

"No," Ron said. "But mum's busy planning away. She wanted to get his mum to help out, too, but Mrs. Malfoy has so far sent back the entire owl post unopened. I can't believe I'll have to be civil to that git for the rest of my natural born life."

"Well," Hermione said. "I'm glad that he took responsibility for what he did. Ginny and the baby are really going to need him."

Ron nodded.

"Who knows?" Harry asked, trying to lighten the conversation up some. "Someday, many, many years from now you and old Malfoy will probably be sitting on the porch surrounded by grandkids talking about dentures and erectile dysfunction."

Ron smirked. "Yeah, and you'll be right there beside us, too, Grandpa Potter."

"As stimulating as this conversation is," Hermione said, looking at her watch. "We're supposed to meet with McGonagall, Harry. There were some last minute things about the ceremony she wanted to go over with us."

Harry got to his feet. "I'll be right behind you. I just wanted to talk to Ron for a second."

Hermione looked between her best friend and her boyfriend and an amused expression came over her face. They were up to something.

"Okay," she said, slowly. "I'll meet you in her office, then. Don't be late."

He grinned at her and then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She took one last look at them before walking out of the suite, shaking her head as she went.

"Nice job, Ace," Harry said, looking at Ron.

"She didn't know what I was talking about," Ron said indignantly. "She has no idea what you're planning to do tonight. I still can't believe you're actually going through with it!"

"Why not?" Harry asked, reaching into his pocket and pulling the small ring box out.

"It just seems a little strange," Ron said honestly. "I mean, we're only just graduating. It seems a bit sudden. Don't you want to wait awhile? See what's out there? Don't get me wrong! I love Luna, but proposing to her now is as foreign to me as Snape smiling."

Harry shook his head. "I've known her since we were kids, Ron. I know how I feel about her. I know how she feels about me. We don't need time. I'd still feel the same way if we waited 10 years to do it. If Sirius' death taught me anything, it taught me never to take anything for granted. You don't know how much time you have left. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I don't care if it's 10 minutes or 100 years. She's it, Ron. I don't need to look anywhere else. She's what I've wanted my entire life."

Ron stared back at his friend, his mouth agape.

"What?" Harry asked, concerned.

"No," Ron said, in awe. "When you say it like that, I'd marry you."

***********

The graduation ceremony was bittersweet. While everyone was happy that their hard work had paid off and they'd graduated from Hogwarts, they were all sad that they would be leaving the hallowed halls of the castle behind.

The ceremony went off without a hitch; save for the time when Snape stood up to speak and he sounded as if he'd inhaled Helium before taking the podium. No one save for the seventh-year Gryffindor boys knew that it hadn't been Harry or Ron's doing, but Neville Longbottom's.

Most of the Gryffindors were to attend a party at the Burrow. Ginny had cleared out earlier that day to stay with an aunt. Malfoy, as he was now Ginny's fiancé, had been extended an invitation, but he'd politely declined. He'd decided to spend the evening with Ginny and promptly departed for Hogsmeade shortly after the ceremony ended.

By the time the party was in full swing, the Burrow was packed wall to wall with people---parents, students and friends, all enjoying pastries and pies and various dishes that Mrs. Weasley had worked so hard to prepare.

Hermione was standing with her parents and was looking around the room for some sign of Harry, but he was no where to be found. She didn't know if his presence at this moment would be a help or a hindrance. She was on the verge of telling her parents about the trip.

"So," her dad was saying. "We'll have to go into London sometime soon so we can get you all set up for University."

Hermione nodded politely.

"I can't believe my baby daughter's a graduate," Karen Granger said, smiling at her daughter and giving her a big hug. "It seems like just yesterday she got her letter from Hogwarts."

"Mum," Hermione said, rolling her eyes good-naturedly at her. "This is the fifth time you've burst into tears."

"You'll understand when you're a mother," Karen said, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "You'll be getting all emotional and sentimental, too."

"You look a little preoccupied, sweetie," her father was saying to her. "You okay?"

Hermione nodded. "Actually, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about for awhile now. I was thinking of, um, possibly putting off my studies for a year. Most students do it, you know. I remember mum telling me how she spent her gap year traveling in Spain."

"You want to travel to Spain?" her mother asked, excitedly. "You've never mentioned that! You've never mentioned wanting to take a year off. We always assumed-"

"That I'd just go on to University," Hermione finished, "I know, so did I. But, I think taking a year off would be the best thing for me."

She looked up at them and saw their vacant expressions and wished she knew someway that she could read minds.

To her relief, her father broke into a smile. "I think it's a brilliant idea!"

"You do?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"Of course," her dad said. "Of all people, I should know the benefits of taking it easy every once in awhile. I think you do deserve a little time to take it easy. You've worked so hard these past few years."

Hermione beamed at her father and threw her arms around him. He laughed.

"So, where is it you want to go?" her mother asked.

"Everywhere," Hermione answered with a smile.

"Well, that narrows it down," her father said, with a chuckle. "We could check in with some of the travel agents near our office. See if they could sort out a nice travel package for you."

Hermione's smile faded a little.

"You don't have to do that, Dad," she said, looking down at the ground. "I actually have something planned already."

Karen smiled knowingly at her daughter. "Of course you do! You've probably been planning for months!"

Hermione smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, sort of."

"Well, who's going to be going along with you?" Robert asked. "One of your friends?"

"Yes," Hermione said. This was the truth. Harry was her friend. He was her best friend.

"Which one?" Karen asked.

"Which one?" Hermione repeated. She cursed herself for not planning this conversation better.

Her parents looked at her expectantly and Hermione felt the overwhelming urge to run a mile away from her parents.

She didn't see her parents exchange a knowing look as concerned expressions washed over their faces.

She bit her bottom lip and was about to tell the whole truth when Harry appeared at her side.

"Harry!" she exclaimed in relief. "Where have you been?"

"Outside," he said evasively. "I need to speak with you for a moment."

He looked at her parents who were not looking too happy at the moment.

"It's really good to see you again, Dr. Granger," he said, extending his hand to Hermione's dad. "And you too, Dr. Granger."

Karen smiled warmly at him. "Congratulations on your graduation, Harry. Hermione's just been telling us about going on holiday for her gap year. Has she told you anything about this?"

Harry suddenly felt as if he was in the middle of that dream where you were taking a test you hadn't studied for.

"Um," he stammered.

Hermione took Harry's arm and said, "We'll talk about it later. Dad, didn't you want to talk to Mr. Weasley about something? We'll be right back."

She pulled Harry toward the backdoor and left her parents, flummoxed, staring after their daughter.

*****

They'd been outside for nearly 20 minutes and Harry hadn't said anything. They'd sat at the picnic table in the backyard. Hermione had told him all about her disastrous conversation with her parents, but he'd only contributed a "uh-huh" and a "yeah" when prompted. His mind was no doubt elsewhere. And if she wasn't mistaken, he was quite nervous about something. Every few seconds, he looked over at her as if he was about to say something, but he would stop short before saying what he so obviously wanted to say.

"Harry?" she asked him, as he paced in front of her for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Hmmm?" he asked, distractedly.

"What are you on about?" she asked him, concerned.

He stood still and looked at her.

She put a hand to her mouth. "Oh! It's something bad, isn't it? What is it? Haven't we had enough bad news for a lifetime! Please tell me it's not anything bad!"

He stepped toward her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's not bad," he said reassuringly. "At least, I don't think it is. I'm kind of hoping that you won't either."

She looked at him, her eyebrows raised. "Okay. What is it?"

"I've thought about this for a long time," he said, running a hand nervously through his hair. "I've even practiced what I'd say to you in front of the mirror. Crazy, I know!"

She smiled. She knew all too well about practicing speeches in front of a mirror.

"I just wanted everything to be perfect and I wanted to say all the right things," he said. "And then I figured what my problem was. You can think about something all you want to, but you aren't really going to know what you'd do or say until that moment comes and you have to do it."

He took her hands in his and she smiled warmly at him, willing him to go on.

"Just say it," she said, stroking his hand with her thumb. "You can tell me anything, you know that, right?"

He nodded. With a deep breath and a smile, he looked into her eyes and he knew what he wanted to say. And he knew that this was the right time to say it.

"We've been through so much together," he began. "You've been by my side through everything---good and bad. You've been the one constant in my life. When I've felt lost or like the whole world was falling apart, I could look to you for comfort and you'd always be there. I don't know what I did to deserve it, but I'm grateful to whatever brought us together."

Tears shone in her eyes as he spoke.

"And I know we're young and I know people will tell us we're crazy," he said, with a slight laugh. "But, if you'll have me, Hermione Jane Granger…" his voice trailed off and he let go of her hands. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Hermione felt her hands shaking as he got down on one knee. He opened up the box and she saw the most stunning sterling silver diamond engagement ring.

"If you'll have me," he repeated, looking up at her. "I want to marry you. Will you marry me?"

She didn't know what to say. She was stunned, shocked, amazed, and touched all at the same time.

"What do you say?" he prompted, smiling up at her hopefully. "Yes, no, get lost? What will it be?"

She gave a laugh as she smiled back at him, through her tears.

"You want to marry me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No," he said. "Professor McGonagall! Of course, you!"

She chuckled.

"Well?" he asked her.

"This is a bit sudden, Harry," she said thoughtfully. "We're only 17."

"I'll be 18 in July and so will you in September," he said.

She grinned.

He got to his feet and dusted the dirt from his trousers.

"You don't have to answer now," he said, a touch of disappointment evident in his voice. "Take all the time you need to decide. I don't want to pressure you. This is a big step."

She nodded.

"We'd better, um, get back inside," he said calmly. This wasn't how he'd expected it to go. Maybe Ron was right, he should have waited.

Hermione was shaking her head at him.

"What?" he asked her, confused.

"Harry!" she said, getting off the picnic table and walking over to him.

"I don't need time to think about it," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't?"

She shook her head.

"I'll marry you," she said, her eyes twinkling at him.

"You will?"

Again, she nodded. "Unless you've changed your mind?"

This time, he shook his head vehemently. "Not a chance."

He wrapped her up in his arms and twirled her around, and she laughed with delight.

When he finally put her down, she wrapped her arms around him and they kissed, sort of putting a seal on the deal. When he broke the kiss, he pulled the ring from the box and put it on Hermione's trembling finger.

"That's just as it should be," Harry said, giving her a kiss.

"It's perfect," Hermione agreed. "Absolutely perfect."

***

Harry and Hermione slowly walked back into the Burrow. To their great relief, the party was dwindling down somewhat. A number of their fellow students were taking the party to Hogsmeade to celebrate sans parents.

Hermione scanned the room for her parents and spotted them near the kitchen, listening politely as Arthur Weasley talked animatedly to them about something, probably some Muggle artifact.

"We could always elope," Harry suggested, half-joking.

"Too late for that now," she said, giving him a slight smile. "Let's go ahead and get it over with."

"You know, I've gone up against some pretty scary things---dark wizards, Dementors, the Dursleys. They have nothing on your dad."

Hermione laughed. They started in her parents' direction when Parvati and Lavender stopped them.

"We're going to head on out to Hogsmeade," Lavender said, giving Harry, then Hermione a hug. "You are coming aren't you?"

Harry was about to open his mouth to reply when Parvati squealed and grabbed Hermione's hand.

"IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS?" She exclaimed. "ARE YOU AND HARRY GETTING MARRIED?"

With those words, a hush fell over the dwindling crowd. Hermione looked helplessly at Harry.

****

Hermione and Harry sat at the kitchen table in the Burrow listening to Karen and Robert Granger as they spoke. As expected, they were none too pleased with this turn of events. The arguments against marriage included the phrases "much too young for marriage" and "wait a couple of years and then do something like this". They'd both listened politely as the Grangers' came at them with every possible point they could come up with against marriage at such a young age.

"Have you even thought about this?" Karen asked her daughter. "You're just starting your life, Hermione. There's time for this later. You have so many wonderful things to experience."

Hermione shook her head. She got to her feet.

"Mum," she said quietly, choosing her words carefully. "Harry and I have listened to what you and Dad have had to say. And I understand everything you've said. And I have thought about it, of course. And I know I have a lot of wonderful experiences and opportunities ahead of me, and I'm still going to have them. They'll be even more special because I'll share them with Harry."

Karen sighed.

"I love him," Hermione said, pleadingly. "I love him and he loves me. That's not going to change."

"You don't know that," Robert said firmly. "You're just a child."

"No," Hermione said. "I'm not. I'm not a child anymore. I've never gone against anything you and Mum said. But, I am not going along with you on this. You taught me to listen to my heart and my mind and to make rational decisions. And I have. My heart and my mind are telling me that this is the right thing to do."

Harry took a deep breath. "I love your daughter. I will do everything I can to provide a safe home for her. I'll never let anything happen to her."

Robert Granger gave out a hollow laugh.

"You can't promise that," Robert said. "You of all people can't promise that."

Harry nodded. "Don't think that I haven't thought that, too, Sir. It may have been the easy way out to just push her away and not to have fallen in love with her. But, it's happened and there's nothing I can do about it. Maybe it's selfish and it probably is, but I don't want to be away from her. And you're right, I can't promise that nothing will ever happen to her, but I can promise you that I will do everything I can to prevent it."

"Hermione," Karen said. "I just wish you'd think about this."

"I have," Hermione said calmly. "I have thought about it. And I'm not going to change my mind. You don't have to like my decision, but I hope you will trust me. If it's a mistake, it's our mistake to make. Not yours. Please. I'm asking you to trust me and to trust Harry."

Karen and Robert looked at each other and gave out a defeated, collective sigh.

Hermione pressed forward.

"And that's not all," she said, looking at her parents. "It's about my gap year…"

******

It was near midnight when Harry and Hermione finally made it back to Hogsmeade. They were standing just outside the Three Broomsticks, watching through the window at their classmates.

"I can't believe we made it out of there in one peace," Harry said, with a laugh.

"They'll come around," Hermione said. "Eventually."

Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I can't believe you said yes," he said softly.

"As if there was any doubt," she said, smiling into his chest.

"Are you sure you want to marry me? Crazy parents like mine? I can be a bit of a nag. Ron's right, you know. Why would you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"

He pulled her to him and looked down at her, his green eyes twinkling.

"So I can kiss you anytime I want," he said, and proceeded to do just that.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Look for the sequel---yes, that's right, sequel to this one. It will be posted soon. I will leave you with a hint. Have you seen the movie "Sweet Home Alabama"? It will be based loosely on that, but will continue in within the "Circle of Friends" storyline. And no, it won't be taking place in Alabama! I haven't settled on a title for it yet, but hopefully I'll think of a good one! Thanks again to you guys for reviewing and reading!!!! I am amazed and honored at the response I got on this story!!!