The Music of Love

A/N: This was a plot idea that popped into my head while I was writing “All I Want for Christmas.” For the record, this is NOT the sequel to “All I Want for Christmas” (I'm just saying that now to diffuse any questions on that front). I'm grateful to all those who read and reviewed my first attempt at writing fan fiction. This is my second attempt. Hopefully it has turned out as well as the first one did.

Sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter written and posted. I got really busy and had a bit of a case of writer's block when I did get time to work on this story. I was originally planning on putting a tune to the song lyrics I wrote for this chapter, which might have slightly altered the wording of my song, but I opted to do that later so I could get this chapter to you without further delay.

Worthy of noting: for the first time in one of my chapters, I'm skipping between times, which I've hopefully made clear where the breaks are. I forgot to do this earlier, but am remembering now, a big thanks to those in the Harmony Forever chatroom when I came on looking for help writing Fleur's line in an earlier chapter, while portraying the accent as accurately as possible.

Thanks to everybody who has made this journey with me. The response to the last chapter was quite pleasing to me. There's a lot to accomplish in this chapter. I hope that you all enjoy the conclusion to this story. I have started working on my next story; I'll say more about it in an author's note at the end of this chapter (I have a hunch it'll get me a number of reviews for this chapter). Please read and review.

Lots of side-ships in this one. Let's see if I can remember all of them that will come up…we've got: Ron/Luna, Neville/Ginny, Lupin/Tonks, Bill/Fleur, and references to Lily/James. This story is slightly AU, but only in the sense that I've added some characteristics to some characters.

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies. All I own is the plotline and a song that appears in this chapter.

The Music of Love

Chapter 5: The Music of Love

Harry sighed again as he looked down at the messy piece of parchment in front of him. It had so many scribbles on it that it was hard to tell what he had written.

He looked down at the picture of him and Hermione taken at Remus and Tonks' wedding. Smiling he held it in his hands as he thought about her.

Hermione.

His Hermione.

The Hermione that was the only woman that he could see himself spending the rest of his life with.

He gently put the picture down and picked up the piece of parchment again.

He nibbled on the end of his quill as he thought about how he could best express his love for her.

His gaze shifted to the rubbish bin, where he had already tossed four pieces of parchment that he had crumpled up in frustration.

Sighing, he leaned over and pulled them back out, uncrumpled them, and spread them out next to him on his desk.

“This song writing thing isn't nearly as easy as I thought it'd be,” he muttered to himself.

As he gazed at the pieces of parchment, Harry saw phrases that he liked, but nothing seemed to be coming together for him.

Harry sighed again as he stood up and walked over to the window and looked out at the beautiful early January snow. He could see students having snowball fights and chattering excitedly as they caught up on one another's Christmases.

Upon walking back to his chair and sitting down, Harry pushed the piece of parchment that he had been writing on aside, and pulled out a fresh piece.

“Oh Hermione,” Harry said softly to himself, “I wish you knew how much I love you.”

Harry stared at the blank piece of parchment for a few minutes, as if willing for his heart to write what he was trying to say.

Suddenly, Harry's eye's grew in excitement.

“That's it!” he cried out and began to write quickly, glancing over at the other pieces of parchment at times, before returning to the sheet he was working on.

Half an hour later, Harry picked up his guitar and began to play a few chords.

**********

That Friday, Hermione pulled Harry aside during dinner in the Great Hall.

“What're you up to, Hun?” she demanded.

“What makes you think that I'm up to anything, Sweetheart?”

Hermione glared at him. “Because you're going around the corridors humming constantly, and from what I've been told, it's always the same tune that you're humming, but nobody recognizes what it is.”

Harry tried to hide his discomfort as best he could. He certainly didn't want Hermione finding out like this…it would be best to try to distract her. “Geesh, it sounds like somebody's stalking me,” he said with an eyeroll.

Hermione cuffed him in the shoulder. “Nobody's stalking you. I've gotten reports from several different students, as well as a couple of our friends. It seems like the only time you're not humming is when you're around me?! Why is that, Harry? What are you trying to hide from me? You know perfectly well that I'll figure out what you're doing is eventually, so you may as well tell me now!”

Harry wrapped her up in a hug. “Nothing, Sweetheart. It's an unknown song, that's why people can't figure out what it is.”

Hermione's ears perked up. “Oh, really?! What's it called? Who's it by? Why haven't you played it for me if you like it so much that you're humming it in the corridors? Why don't you hum it when…”

Harry cut her off with a kiss. “Hush. I didn't realize that I was humming it that often, that's all.”

“That doesn't answer why you don't hum it around me.”

Harry pondered his response for a minute. “Well, Sweetheart…we're either generally talking…or doing other things,” Harry added with a wink.

Hermione's face turned a pale shade of red. “Honestly, Harry,” she whispered to him, “don't say things like that when the students are around. You'll give them the wrong idea as to what we do behind closed doors.”

“Seriously, Hermione. None of the students are able to hear what we say up here at the staff table with so much talking going on...”

Harry picked that moment to look out at the Slytherin table, where he saw a group of fourth-year girls whispering excitedly and taking occasional glances at himself and Hermione. On the table, he realized there was a pair of Extendable Ears that Fred and George had created and were their best selling item, especially to Hogwarts students.

Harry looked back at Hermione and turned a brilliant shade of red.

She then looked at what Harry got so embarrassed about, and then her face turned the same shade of red as Harry's.

“You do realize that the student body's now going to think that we shag like a couple of bunnies. Right, Harry?” she said with as much dignity as she could muster.

Harry mumbled an apology.

Suddenly, Pigwigeon landed next to Harry and stuck out his leg, revealing that he had a letter for him.

Harry smiled as he untied the note that he knew was from Ron.

He smiled as he thought about how much Pig had mellowed over the years, as he looked at him sitting there patiently, waiting for Harry's response.

Harry unfolded the note, without letting Hermione see it and read:

Hey Mate,

I need your help with something very important. I know you'll be done with classes by the time Pig gets to you, so this note will turn into a portkey two minutes after you fold it back up. Say hello to the missus for me. Have you finally done it, mate? Or do I need to Imperius you to get you to go ahead and propose, mate? I'll see you soon.

Your best mate,

Ron

Harry folded up the note and gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek.

“I have to go,” he told her, nodding a dismissal to Pig. “Ron needs my help with something that he says is important, and I need to get out of here because the note is a portkey and the students shouldn't see me taking it. I'll see you when we get home, Sweetheart.”

Hermione kissed his cheek. “See you at home, Hun.”

Harry strode out of the Great Hall and found an unoccupied area to wait for the portkey to take him to wherever Ron set it for.

Soon enough, Harry felt a familiar tug in his naval as he was whisked off to an unknown destination.

**********

Two weeks later, Harry and Hermione were enjoying a quiet late dinner in their flat, since Ron and Luna were out on a date.

“Harry, do you know why Hagrid keeps suggesting to me that we should get married?” Hermione inquired.

“Sorry, no I don't. Strange that he hasn't suggested it to me, considering that he should know that you're too traditional to propose to me.”

Hermione smiled at him. “I know. It's almost like he knows something that I don't. Just like Ron and Luna…and Ginny too, now that I think about it.”

Harry suddenly found himself being grateful that Lupin worked at the Ministry, and not at the school.

“I'm not sure why they seem to be acting differently, Sweetheart.”

They stood up and magically sent their dishes to the kitchen to wash themselves, and made their way to the loveseat in the living room.

Hermione leaned her head on Harry's shoulder. “Evenings like these are wonderful; sitting around our flat with nothing to do and the love of my life to share it with.”

Harry smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “This is definitely a great way to spend an evening,” he said, giving her a kiss on her cheek.

“Have you given any more thought as to our getting married?”

Harry leaned his cheek on the top of Hermione's head. “Yeah, I've thought about it a bit,” he admitted.

“Maybe we should get married soon,” Hermione said thoughtfully, “after all, we know that we want to and that we can certainly afford to. We can help each other grow in other areas, and our weaknesses are covered by the other's strengths.”

“It'll happen when it happens.”

Harry watched as Hermione's eyes slowly closed in sleep as he felt his doing the same thing.

**********

On the morning of Valentine's Day, Harry got up before the crack of dawn, and well before the other three in their flat. He silently went about his routine and left for the castle before anybody else was awake.

Upon arriving at the castle, he quickly made his way to his office—after making a quick stop by Hermione's office to leave a bouquet of roses and a card on her desk, where he checked to see that everything he needed was there.

After casting silencing and locking charms on his office, Harry made sure his guitar was as precisely tuned as he could manage. Then, he started to sing some of his favorite love songs, that reminded him of Hermione.

He then shrunk his guitar and put it in his pocket, along with something else that he'd been wanting to give Hermione for quite a while.

After putting on his invisibility cloak, he silently crept out of the castle unnoticed.

**********

“Where have you been?” an angry Hermione demanded as she barged into Harry's office late that afternoon.

Harry gulped nervously. An angry Hermione was not something he needed to have this afternoon.

“I've been busy all day, Sweetheart.”

“Busy? Doing what? Why weren't you working on some of the stuff you've been doing today last night when you were bored out of your mind?”

Harry grabbed his cloak. “Let's take a walk, Sweetheart. The rest of the castle doesn't need to hear this.”

Hermione huffed in frustration. “Why won't you tell me what you've been doing all day?”

“I will,” Harry reassured her. “Just give me some time.”

Then Harry resorted to a trick that he knew wouldn't fail, he looked at Hermione with puppy dog eyes.

It only took a minute for Hermione to cave. “Oh, alright. We'll need to drop by my office to get my cloak. I know you'll tell me what you've been doing later.”

Harry smiled and offered Hermione his arm, then discreetly turned and nodded to Hedwig, who flew out the window immediately.

**********

About ten minutes later, having collected Hermione's cloak and made their way through the corridors of the castle, they walked across the grounds as sunset approached rapidly.

“The roses are beautiful, Hun. Thanks.” Hermione said smiling up at Harry as they started to stroll around their favorite path around the lake.

Harry kissed her forehead. “You're welcome, Sweetheart. Any memorable incidents in your classes today?”

Hermione smiled sheepishly. “Other than several students asking when you were going to propose to me, nothing in particular. Did you have something happen?”

Harry chuckled. “Yeah, I did. In my fifth-year class, one of the Gryffindor boys asked out one of the Slytherin girls. The class broke out laughing, but she said yes.”

“That's so sweet. Who was it?”

“John Peters and Jane White.”

Hermione smiled at his response. “Those two'll be good for each other. They have more in common than they probably realize.”

“Yeah, they do.”

“So, why did you ask me to come for a walk?”

“Who says I need to have a reason?”

“I'm always the one suggesting we talk a walk.”

“I have to have suggested it once or twice before.”

Hermione smirked. “No you haven't.

“I still want to know why you think I have a reason for asking you to walk with me.”

“Call it a hunch.”

“Well, quit thinking for a bit and enjoy the beautiful scenery,” Harry said with a wink.

Hermione cuffed his shoulder. “I can think and enjoy the scenery at the same time.”

Harry chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “I know you can, Sweetheart.”

They fell quiet until they reached their favorite spot to sit, and Harry helped Hermione sit on the side of the log that she always sat on before sitting down next to her.

Hermione leaned her head on Harry's shoulder. “It's beautiful here.”

Harry smiled at her. “Not as beautiful as you are.”

Hermione turned a pale shade of red. “No I'm not.”

Harry took her hands in his. “You're the most beautiful woman in the world to me.”

“Love must have blinded you then,” Hermione said teasingly.

“No, if anything, it's sharpened my sight, because it's helped me see what I really want in life.”

Harry stood up and walked over to the tree behind them and reached over and picked something up. Once Harry removed the disillusionment charm from it, she realized that it was his guitar.

Harry then pulled his pick out of his pocket as he walked back around in front of Hermione and started to play softly.

Harry looked down at his hands as he started to sing tentatively.

Your beauty shines from within

And it exceeds all others.

I have eyes for you alone.

He looked up at her and saw her smiling at him as his voice started to grow stronger and more confident.

I wish you knew how much I love you.

How much I need you.

How much I want to be a father to your children.

I want to grow old with you.

Watch you grow more beautiful every day.

I wish…

You knew…

How much…

I love you.

You know me better than I do.

I was lonely `til I met you.

You're the half that makes me whole.

I wish you knew how much I love you.

How much I need you.

How much I want to be a father to your children.

I want to grow old with you.

Watch you grow more beautiful every day.

I wish…

You knew…

How much…

I love you.

You are the world to me.

I'm amazed you chose to love me.

I love you more than words can say.

I wish you knew how much I love you.

How much I need you.

How much I want to be a father to your children.

I want to grow old with you.

Watch you grow more beautiful every day.

I wish…

You knew…

How much…

I love you.

Harry stopped strumming and sang a cappela while hiding the guitar pick in his hand and shrinking his guitar and putting it in his pocket.

I wish you knew how much I love you.

How much I need you.

How much I want to be a father to your children.

I want to grow old with you.

Watch you grow more beautiful every day.

Harry knelt in front of Hermione as he sang the last line.

Will you marry me?

Hermione's hands flew to her mouth as Harry sang the last line while opening the hand that had held the guitar pick to reveal a beautiful two-karat diamond engagement ring.

She leaped into Harry's arms, knocking him over on to his back, landing on top of him. She kissed him hard until they were both breathless.

“I take it that's a `yes',” Harry said as they both sat up.

Hermione gave him a big hug. “Of course, you silly boy,” she told him before kissing him again.

Once they broke apart, gasping for breath, Harry took her hand and slowly slid the ring onto her finger.

They were both admiring the ring when all of a sudden, they heard loud applause from a little ways towards the castle. They both looked over and saw the entire staff and a few of the students approaching, as well as several of their other friends, all following behind Ron, who had Hedwig perched on his shoulder, with his fiancé Luna right behind him as her engagement ring sparkled in the early evening moonlight.

“It's about time, mate!” Ron exclaimed, slapping Harry on the shoulder. “I thought you were going to chicken out on me.”

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and laughed.

“I believe congratulations are in order, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger,” Headmistress McGonagall said. “Just don't make me have you two teach a refresher course in sex ed for getting caught snogging in the hallway again.”

Harry and Hermione both turned bright red and mumbled a response.

“I'm proud of yeh both,” Hagrid said before wrapping them up in one of his trademark hugs. “I'm sure the two of yeh will have many happy years together.”

“You two look so happy,” Luna said dreamily. “I look forward to having our kids playing together in a couple of years.”

Ginny squealed as she ran up to Hermione to get a better look at the ring. “Wow, Hermione! Harry must have really spent a lot on that ring,” Ginny told her. “You really got the best catch in the wizarding world,” she added, waggling her eyebrows at Hermione, causing Hermione's face to turn as red as Ginny's hair.

Lupin walked up to Harry and gave him a big hug. “Your mum, dad, and Sirius would all be really proud of you today, Harry. I'm sure your folks would have loved Hermione.” The last he said with tears in his eyes.

Hermione smiled at Harry after hearing Lupin's praise of her. Suddenly her eyes widened and she turned and looked at Harry.

“How long have you been planning this?” she demanded.

Harry looked sheepishly down at the ground and scuffed the snow with his foot. “Oh, since just before Christmas.”

“And they all knew you were planning on proposing to me today?”

“Most of them. I sent Hedwig off to Ron to let him know that we were leaving my office and headed in this direction and told him to gather up as many of our friends as possible and get them over here.”

Hermione looked at Harry in shock. “And the tune you were humming in the hallway?”

“The song I just sang to you.”

It was Hermione's turn to look sheepish. “You mean that you planned all this without me figuring out what you were up to?!”

If Harry's grin could have possibly grown wider, it did. “Yeah, I did.”

Hermione rewarded him with a big hug and a kiss. “Mr. Romantic, you realize that you're going to have to try to surprise me more often now that you've done it, right?”

Harry grinned and waggled his eyebrows at her. “I certainly intend to try, Sweetheart.”

The End

A/N: Thanks again to everybody who followed this story, especially to those of you who left reviews.

Now, I bet you want to know about what I have planned next. Not knowing how much time I'm going to have to write in the future between work and school, I decided to rearrange my upcoming projects, and now I'm going to write the much anticipated sequel to “All I Want for Christmas” next. However, I'm planning on writing it and getting it betaed for consistency with both canon and “All I Want for Christmas” before I post it. So, if you want to have a chance to potentially beta it, I would greatly recommend that you read “All I Want for Christmas” and watch the discussion forums for my post seeking betas.

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