Well, dear readers, like every wonderful journey, this one too has to come to an end. I enjoyed every single minute of it, and I apologize it took so long. My wonderful beta has already agreed to work with me on my next fan fiction, which shall be posted soon. This one will not be based on ancient history, but it will be AU all the same, so stick around. I want to thank all of you for your support and, most of all, patience. Please leave your last reviews, I appreciate them. I did not want to get too cheesy and post a song, but I think one appropriate for this ending would be As Long as You Love Me, by the Backstreet Boys. Thanks so much to my beta hhr'sdaughter. Enjoy everyone! Until next time.
Epilogue
Hermione's chestnut eyes opened as the first ray of light went through her room window. She grunted at her first movement attempt, her body complained of pain, and it was then that she noticed something heavy lying between her chest and stomach.
She raised her head to find Harry there, seated with his head laid on her abdomen. He was breathing calmly, clear sign that he was still asleep. He had his arm heavily bandaged and his hand was clasped around her own.
Hermione sighed again, with relief this time, as she let her free hand caress Harry's face. The fact that Harry was here told her two things: most importantly, Harry was alive; her uncle had not killed him. Secondly, if he was here and not in some dungeon, it meant that the Trojan throne had not been taken by Agamemnon, hopefully. She knew Harry enough to conclude that he would rather die than make any kind of deal with the High King of Mycenae. That could only mean...
Hermione gasped as Harry's hand squeezed hers. Seconds later, a whispered moan escaped his lips, his emerald eyes opening in a lazy manner, the same way they had opened when she was preparing to leave his room the night that she gave herself to him for the first time.
The memory brought both a smile and chills of desire to her body.
She smiled softly at him as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight.
"I love you," she whispered, doing him the same favour he had done to her the morning of the previous day, when she had awaken to those three wonderful little words. She hoped he wanted to hear them as much as she did.
"Hermione!" Harry's face lit up with a smile of pure happiness as he brought her hand to his lips, just like he had done the first time they had met. Except this time, her hand did not receive a light peck. Instead, Harry kissed it tenderly and thoroughly, from its back to her palm.
He stood up and literally dived into her bed.
"Easy there, Harry," Hermione told him, noticing that his body tensed up as he was making his way toward her, obvious evidence that his wound was still tender.
But that did not stop Harry's advance. Before Hermione knew it, their lips were meeting in a kiss that they both craved, a kiss of happiness, a kiss that assured them both that they were going to be together forever. It was a tender promise, a gentle statement that assured Hermione that the Prince of Troy would never leave her side again. And now that both of them had made it clear that nothing would keep them apart, the promise of spending the rest of their time together was just what they needed to finish cementing their love for one another.
Harry rested his forehead against hers as she giggled softly. No words needed to be said; the promise shared in their kiss had rendered any words powerless.
"Look who is awake!" Harry's and Hermione's moment was interrupted by the entrance of Oliver, who was holding Fleur's hand adoringly. He brought her beside him, holding her close to his chest in a both shielding and loving manner.
"Awake and not wasting any time, it seems," Hermione's half-sister observed.
Harry and Hermione looked at the visitors as Hermione blushed furiously. The visitors, however, did not take the hint that the couple wanted to be left alone in order to make up for lost time.
"So, are you still going to kill Harry? He is after all, relatively unharmed for the most part, except for that shoulder of his. Your uncle however, did not have the same luck," Oliver pointed out to Hermione.
"What?" Hermione's eyes opened wide. She could not believe what she was hearing. Could it be true? She could not remember wanting anything more. And what was best, Harry was still standing.
"It is over Hermione. You do not have to worry about him anymore," Harry assured her.
Hermione's eyes radiated with happiness. She could not even speak; her smiled plastered to her face, she hugged Harry until he grunted in pain.
"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" She tore away, realizing that she had unintentionally squeezed his still tender wound.
"Go easy on me there," Harry said smugly. He always relished Hermione's attention, and after, as he called it, he saved the damsel in distress and now she could stay here, he figured that he deserved some attention.
Hermione however, would not let go of the events so easily.
"Well, serves you right, after nearly killing yourself! I will not go back on my word; I promised, after all, to kill you myself. However, I can think of other methods of torture," she could not help but chuckle.
Despite their disagreement, she was also aware that in not giving up, Harry had saved her from a depressing fate at best, her mother's fate at worst, and for that and the fact that he was still alive she would be forever grateful.
"Well, let us have them then," Harry grinned maliciously, thinking two could play that game, and obviously momentarily forgetting that they had company.
The four of them laughed, Hermione blushing furiously.
Their happy moment however, was suddenly interrupted by a hesitant knock on the door. Hermione scoffed when Menelaus entered seconds later.
Somehow men thought they had the right to enter whenever they wished without waiting for permission, but she would be lying to herself if she told her mind that such was the reason for her anger.
Harry got up from the bed as Hermione could not help but sigh in annoyance.
Why did Harry have to leave her side? Did he not know that she wanted nothing to do with her mother's husband? She had never called him father and she never would; he did not deserve it.
His hand squeezed hers suddenly, as if reading her thoughts and his green eyes locked with hers. That was sufficient to calm her down. But that did not mean she wanted Menelaus to stay.
"Please, I would just like…a few moments alone with my daughter, if I could be allowed," he pleaded, accurately sensing that his presence was not welcomed.
At this point, Harry was still holding Hermione's hand while Oliver had moved to a corner of the room, holding Fleur against him in an almost possessive manner. But Menelaus would not give the blond a second look.
"Suddenly I am your daughter?" Hermione's eyes threw daggers at him.
Despite Hermione's contempt however, Oliver, Harry, and Fleur went out of the room after Harry gave Hermione a soft kiss on the forehead.
"I will be right outside," Harry whispered, as if to say: `If anything should go wrong, call and I will be here'. Hermione nodded solemnly, making a mental note of his coded message.
Harry gave Menelaus a menacing look, letting him know that he would not see the light of day again if he so much as lay a hand on his injured beloved.
Menelaus nodded slowly, as in understanding, before Harry stepped out.
"Whatever you have to say, first of all, let us establish that I do not want to hear it, but since you pushed everyone I care about out of the room, make it fast. I want to rest," Hermione's voice was cold.
"I…owe you an apology," Menelaus blurted.
"You? An apology? What is the occasion exactly? That I was an inch from death because of your goddamn pride! Or maybe I should say cowardice?" her voice had risen to the very core. She would have gotten up from the bed as well, in order to give more emphasis to her statement, if her wound had not protested in her attempt to do it.
"Hermione, please just hear me out."
"Oh, I am Hermione now? What happened to Helen's daughter?"
"Listen, I know I have not been the best father and you deserve better-"
"Best father? You have not even been a father Menelaus," Hermione replied harshly.
Menelaus gulped before going on. She was right, but he had come here to say something, and he would not back out, she deserved better than that. If he could not make Helen happy, at least he would not stand on Hermione's way to accomplish her own happiness. It was the least he could do, not only for his daughter, but also for his late wife.
"I know, and I am sorry."
"It is a little too late for that."
"I know."
He sighed. It was now or never.
"It is just I always blamed Helen when I should have blamed myself. It was my fault that you
never had a mother to grow up with, that Fleur passed her whole infancy without a mother's love. When I saw that arrow hit you, I knew you were not giving up. And that is just like you; never settle for anything, just like Helen, before I killed all her hope and desire to live for that matter. And I just want you to know that if you want to stay beside that man you love, you have my blessing. I know I should have done it a long time ago, if only to keep your mother alive. I should have just let her stay; I just hope that one day you can forgive me. It will take time, but I am willing to wait."
Hermione sighed, not even looking at him as Menelaus made his way out.
She looked at the entrance to the room just in time to see Harry come in.
"Are you all right?" he asked, concern showing in those emerald eyes she easily got lost in.
She smiled, slowly nodding. It would take time, but she would be all right. One day, she hoped, the wounds would mend. It was what her mother would have wanted; she would give it to her.
****
"I want a daily letter and a decent invitation to your wedding!" Hermione laughed as Fleur got into Oliver's carriage, as his official betrothed, to begin their journey to Ithaca.
"That goes for you too." Fleur smiled. "I am not so certain about the writing though. I expect to have a busy schedule. Pooky will be teaching me how to sew stuffed animals for Oliver here."
"Fleur!" Oliver blushed furiously.
Fleur just dismissed the mortification with a kiss, which he was only too happy to return.
"Have fun." Hermione returned her smile.
She hugged her half -sister one last time before the carriage set on its way.
The heir to the throne of Sparta sighed with both happiness and sadness. Her half-sister was going to be happy, she was going to be where she belonged; but then again, so was she.
"Are you all right?" Harry's voice came from behind her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I will be." She turned around to face him. "How is your aunt?" she asked, knowing well that Harry had just come from seeing her off after spending a few moments with Oliver and who would soon be his sister-in-law.
"She will be okay. We talked, and after many apologies, she sends some to you too by the way, she does not want to live in the castle anymore; many bad memories. We decided that she will part to a quiet place in the country-side and maybe there she will find peace. She has had quite a pressure on herself since childhood, especially since all her family, except me of course, died in the war. I hope that she can find some peace now that she is free of the Trojan throne."
"A throne that belongs to you now." Hermione smiled. After everything they had been through, it was ironic how she had finally done the job she was sent to do in the first place.
"Yes, you finally got your way." Harry smiled back. Looking back at it, he would not have it any other way.
"Thank the stars for that," she giggled. "What will you do first?"
"Well, crown you of course. Every lord needs a lady. I could not rule without you." Harry caressed her cheek as she blushed. "That is, if you will still have me."
"Now, why would I refuse you?" She took his hands in hers.
"I can be a pretty tough person to live with. Sure you can put up with me?" he grinned.
"As long as you love me," Hermione whispered sincerely. "Besides, after everything that has happened, I should be asking you if you still want to crown me," Hermione giggled once more. "Are you sure that Troy is ready for a queen like me?"
"I like a challenge." Harry kissed her, a kissed that sealed her fate.
Like her mother had once wanted, she would marry who she wanted, would marry for love, and what was more, what Hermione knew would make her mother smile from the heavens, she was to live in the place that made her mother happy, a place that Hermione was sure would make her happy as well. In time, she would rule both Troy and Sparta sitting on the Trojan throne.
She would not have it any other way.
END
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