Epilogue
Harry felt a bit lightheaded. His eyes almost seemed glued shut. He forced them slowly open and blinked furiously as the sunlight poured into the room. The first thing he saw was Hermione sitting beside him. She had a damp cloth that she had just removed from his head; which brought the sudden realization that his head was aching quite seriously. He tried to sit up, but an overwhelming weakness flooded his limbs and he was forced to lie back down.
"Please rest Harry. You need to stay lying down."
Harry looked around and realized that he appeared to be in a cozy hospital room of some kind.
"Where am I?"
"You're at St. Mungos," Hermione said firmly. "You've been very ill Harry. You've been unconscious for almost a week."
Hermione held her hand up to her eyes. She was wiping away tears that were beginning to form there.
"You frightened us to death. You frightened me to death Harry. I thought I had lost you. I've been here almost day and night, waiting for you…"
With that she laid her head down on Harry's chest and became quite serious about sobbing.
"You stupid, stupid boy! Why did you go after those death eaters?! Why?! You should have stayed at Sirius's house like you were told. One of them saw you there and hit you with some kind of curse. They were never sure what it was. They said you might never wake up…"
Her voice became choked and she had no more words to say. Her arms were draped across Harry.
Harry suddenly realized what she was saying.
"No, no Hermione that's not what happened at all. I… you… and Ron. You were dressed as death eaters and I killed you and then I went through the veil and died and wound up in…"
Harry stopped as he saw the sorrowful expression in Hermione's face.
"Harry," she said softly, "that never happened. You were the one who almost died. Ron and I have been coming here everyday to see you. You never did anything to hurt us. You've been lying here all this time."
She looked down at him with a concerned look.
"It… It never happened?" Harry said incredulously. "How is that possible? How… but I know… I felt it and saw it… I finally told you how much I loved you…"
Harry realized what he had just said. He closed his mouth and stared hard out the window next to his bed.
"You did what?" Hermione asked in a strange voice.
"Nothing, I… nothing…"
"You love me?" Hermione asked with softness.
Harry began to turn a sincere shade of red. His heartbeat was racing. He reached up and placed his hand over his heart.
"It's beating Hermione. It really is. It was all just a dream."
"So, you don't love me?" her voice asked in desperation.
"No, it's just that… in my dream I was going to be lost forever and I couldn't leave without telling you how I felt. I mean love was… it was just that, when I said it… Oh, good grief. Yes, Hermione I do love you. I thought I had killed you in my dream and I couldn't live with myself. All I could think of was you. You were the only thing that kept me going, there in the darkness."
Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes. Then, she softly touched Harry's cheek with her hand.
"I… I love you too." She began to let out a laugh of relief, "I do very much love you Harry Potter. I think I probably told you a hundred times looking down at you lying in this bed."
Harry smiled at her, "I must have heard you. That must have been what brought me back."
She lowered down to kiss Harry on the cheek, but Harry turned his head and caught her by surprise. There lips brushed against each other. Hermione pulled back for the briefest moment and then she closed her eyes and pressed hers against Harry's. There mouths were ever so gentle and it flooded Harry with a tingling sensation that made him feel giddy. He raised his arm and placed his hand on the back of her head and pulled her softly against him. Her mouth opened wider and her tongue gently slipped into his. Hermione's free hand began to caress Harry's chest and with each passing moment went lower and lower. When they both realized what was happening they quickly pulled away.
Harry felt a little silly and embarrassed, but was also immensely attracted to Hermione right now. He felt warm from his head down to his toes. Hermione was blushing furiously.
"I'm sorry Harry. I don't know what came over me. I just felt like… well, it just sort of felt right."
"It's okay, I feel the same way. It's just that we need a little time to explore this side of our… um… new and improved friendship."
They both laughed and everything was alright again. They talked throughout the rest of the day and into the evening. They kissed and touched and then talked some more. They both thought a lot about making love, but that would come in time. Both of them also thinking, probably sooner than later, but neither was sure they should admit it.
When Ron had finally come in to take his turn to watch, he saw Harry sleeping soundly with his arm wrapped around Hermione, who was also fast asleep with a happy smile on her face. Not a moment later, Luna poked her head in and saw the same thing.
Ron felt Luna was pressing very close to him while standing in the doorway. It made him a little nervous, but he kind of liked it. He made a decision right then and there to ask her out some time. What was the worst that could happen he thought?
--- ---
Harry was sitting at the Gryffindor table. It was the beginning of his sixth year and he was feeling pretty good about things. There had been some hard times the past couple of months, but he felt right at home. Hermione was leaning against him and they were holding hands under the table. What had started just a few weeks ago had become a deep and passionate new force in his life. He had never been so happy. Next to him was Ron, and he and Luna were making funny faces at each other and laughing. He was sure it would not be too much longer before they would go out on their second date and he figured that would pretty much seal the deal between them. Yes, it was going to be a very good year indeed.
The last of the students were being sorted. There were quite a few new faces this year. Harry decided he would try and take the time to get to know some of them. He sure would have enjoyed having someone older to help mentor him when he had first started. He decided that the very next Gryffindor name to be called out would be the first one he would introduce himself to.
"Angie Warrell," McGonagall called out.
Harry tried to get a look at her, but there was too much commotion.
"Gryffindor!" announced the Sorting Hat.
The Gryffindor table gave a warm round of applause at having another student called into their ranks.
A shy, little eleven year old approached the table and promptly sat across from Harry and his friends. Harry looked at her for a moment and then extended his hand out to her.
"Welcome Angie. Glad to have you with us."
She stood up and then shook his hand firmly and looked straight at him with a grateful smile. Harry was sure he was seeing things, but he could have sworn he saw a silver flame burning brightly in each of her eyes.