Chapter 10: The Conclusion
"Harry! Hurry up, we're going to be late!"
"Okay, honey, I'm coming!"
Harry tried once more to flatten his messy mop of black hair, but to no avail. He sighed at the mirror and gave up, picking up his robe from where it lay on the bed and putting it on as he hurried out of the bedroom.
Hermione was standing by the front door staring at him with an impatient, yet amused look on her face.
"What was taking you so long?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "My hair, as usual. I can't do a ruddy thing with it. It always sticks up."
Hermione smiled and ran her fingers through his unruly mop. "Well, I love it. I think it's very sexy."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" He grabbed her around the waist and kissed her passionately.
"Ewwwwwww!" came two little voices from outside.
Hermione pulled away from Harry and looked, amused, at the little boy and girl who were staring at them with looks of disgust. "And what's so wrong with kissing, may I ask?" she questioned.
"Nothing," the boy answered with a smile before bolting across the yard. "Except when your mum and dad do it," he called back.
Harry laughed and ran after the 7 year-old, catching him about the waist and holding him upside down. "James, you are impossible!" Harry cried.
The little boy giggled. "I know, Dad. Mum says I get it from you!"
Harry put James back down and turned towards Hermione, with an evil twinkle in his eye. "Oh did she really?" he asked as he started to walk towards her.
Hermione's mouth opened wide in mock fear, and she picked up the little girl, holding her like a shield. "Stop right there, Harry," she began, obviously trying desperately not to laugh. "If you want to get to me, you'll have to come through Claire. And you wouldn't want to hurt your poor, innocent little daughter, would you?"
Harry stopped in his tracks, himself trying to contain the laughter that was threatening to overpower him. "I can't believe you'd use our 4 year-old like that!"
Claire giggled in Hermione's arms as Harry closed the distance between them. Harry smiled; the joy he felt in his heart at sharing this moment with his family was so overwhelming that he felt as though he could burst. "You're an evil woman, you know that?" he said to his wife.
Hermione smiled back at him. "I know," she looked at him slyly. "But the question is, what are you going to do about it?"
Harry didn't answer her. Instead, he leant forward and kissed her delicately on the lips. Claire struggled to get to the ground, and ran over to her brother, as their parents wrapped their arms around each other in a loving embrace.
The two children looked at each other in horror, before turning back to their parents. "Ewwwwwww!"
Harry and Hermione laughed against each other's lips and looked back at their children. "All right," Hermione said. "We'll stop. Come on, get in the car you two." As Harry began walking over to the car, she tugged him back, whispering in his ear. "We'll continue that later on tonight."
Winking at him, she helped James and Claire get into the car. Harry got into the front seat, and found that he simply couldn't stop smiling.
* * * *
Harry picked up Claire in his arms as they started towards the front door, Hermione walking behind them, holding James' hand.
Harry knocked on the door and kissed his daughter on the cheek, looking behind him to smile at Hermione.
A moment later, the front door was opened by a little red-haired girl who was about the same age as Claire. "Hello," she cried out with a wide grin on her face that showed that she had two front teeth missing.
"Hi, Rose," Harry said warmly. "You look as though you've lost something."
"Huh?" she questioned, looking very confused.
"Your front teeth, where have they gone?"
Rose, Claire and James all started giggling, and Rose shoved Harry playfully in the leg. "You're silly, Uncle Harry."
"I know sweetie," Harry smiled as Claire jumped out of his arms to stand next to the little girl.
"Who is it, pumpkin?" a booming voice called out.
"It's Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione, Daddy!" the little girl yelled back in a voice that Harry thought seemed much too loud to actually come from a 5 year-old girl.
He turned to Hermione and chuckled, putting his arm around her shoulders as they entered the house.
"Mummy," Claire began, looking hopeful. "Can I go and play with Rose?"
"Of course you can, honey."
"Yay! Thanks, Mummy. Come on James," she said, dragging her brother by his sleeve.
"Oh, do I have to?" he groaned.
"Uncle Sirius is here, James," Rose said in a singsong voice that succeeded in getting James' attention.
"Where?" the boy asked as the three ran off into the house together.
"I swear," Harry said with his arm still around Hermione. "Our son absolutely worships the ground Sirius walks on. I think I'm a little jealous."
Hermione kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry, darling. He worships you too."
"Harry! Hermione! You're finally here! I suppose it was Harry taking too long in the bathroom again, eh?" said a voice in jest.
Hermione laughed and playfully nudged Harry. "You're not half wrong. How are you, Ron?"
Ron grinned widely, and hugged the two of them. "I'm great," he exclaimed. They all began walking to the kitchen. "How are you guys? Any trouble getting here?"
Harry smiled. "Not really. We did get in trouble from the kids this morning for kissing though."
Ron laughed. "So it's started already for you guys, huh? Rose hasn't started any of that yet, thank goodness. But if she turns out to be anything like Fred and George were with mum and dad when they were little, I think I'm gonna have to lock her up in her room." They all laughed as a tall, blonde woman walked smiling into the room to snuggle against Ron. "I can barely keep my lips off this one for a second, and if Rose doesn't like it well, what can you do?" Ron smirked against the top of the woman's head.
"Hi, Anna, how are you?" Harry asked, going to hug the woman.
"We're great, how are you guys?" Anna asked, hugging Hermione too.
"Never better," Hermione grinned.
"Come on, everyone's outside. We'll leave this big lug in here to finish the cooking, shall we?" Anna asked, kissing her husband.
"Who are you calling a big lug, huh?" Ron grinned, swatting Anna playfully. "Yeah, go on, leave me in here alone, slaving away over a hot stove."
Harry, Hermione and Anna laughed as they headed outside. Harry looked around and was happily overwhelmed when everyone seemed to simultaneously rush forward to greet them. After all the welcoming had taken place, and well after they had eaten Ron's surprisingly spectacular lunch, Harry found himself sitting, alone peacefully sipping a butterbeer, just watching everyone.
He saw Arthur Weasley, still fascinated by all things muggle, asking Doug Granger about computers, as their respective wives, Molly and Sarah, tried to chat over them. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George were playing Quidditch with their various children. Bill, Percy and Fred's wives, Fleur, Penelope and Angelina were discussing the latest in witch fashions with Ginny. Her husband, Colin, was busy taking pictures of the ongoing Quidditch game whilst Ron was animatedly talking to Anna and Remus. Hermione sat on the grass with Claire on her lap, and James and Rose on either side of her. The three children were transfixed by one of Sirius' many stories. Harry watched his family sitting there, and smiled contentedly, so happy with his life and the way everything had turned out. At that moment, Hermione turned to look at him. Seeing him watching them, she whispered something into Claire's ear, who moved so that Hermione could get up, and she wandered over to Harry.
Sitting on his lap, she ran her fingers through his hair. "What were you looking at?"
Harry smiled. "Everyone. You. I'm just so... I'm so happy, Hermione. When I was younger, things were so bad for me, and I really didn't expect that much out of life other than to survive it. But now I know that you're not supposed to just survive life, you're supposed to live it. And I couldn't have ever done that without you. You are my life, Hermione. I love you so much."
Hermione's eyes glistened. "Oh, Harry," she choked out. Composing herself a little, she continued on quietly. "I was going to wait until we were alone to tell you this, but I suddenly can't wait another second. Harry, we're having another baby."
Harry's face broke into a wide grin. "Really?"
Hermione laughed through the tears silently streaming down her face. "Really."
He hugged her tight against him and kissed her lips, whispering softly to her. "I'm the luckiest man alive."
A/N: Well, that's it... or is it? ;) I might (emphasis on the word 'might', I'm really busy at the moment, so it won't be for a while) write a sequel of epilogue or something to explain what happened when Harry and Hermione told Ron, how he got with Anna, Harry and Hermione's wedding, and how and when James appeared ;)