Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: Dear Readers: If you have made it this far, I thank you. This story started as a reaction to one book. Little did I know how much of my life it would change. I want to thank Dementor149 for being there when the writer's muse left me high and dry, and I want to thank all of those who waited. It is bittersweet and hard to post a final chapter of a story that you have invested so much time and energy in. It's like reading the final page of a favorite book, knowing that there isn't any more to read, and yet having satisfaction of being a part of that character's life, if only for a short while. I hope you have enjoyed the journey as much as I have. Without much further ado, read on and enjoy!

PS: There is a bit of an explict scene at the end of this chapter.

Chapter 62

Closing the Final Chapter

He approached the bed slowly, his caution based on the last time he had interrupted the two. He didn't fancy having another wand poked up his nose. The two figures were still sleeping, and his shoulders slumped with relief. Waking them up was much better than…well, he wouldn't think about that, it made his ears burn.

He looked around the normally fastidious room and frowned. Ever since the death of the Defeated One, this room had become untidy. He was going to have to find a way to talk to the master and missus about that one. Clothes strewn about the floor, parchment quills and books just left where they had fallen. Someone would think that they were in a hurry to get to bed. He shook his head and smacked himself for letting his thoughts wander down that road again. He raised his hand to remove the mess, and stopped. The last time he had done that, he had been banished from the room for a week. He didn't need that to happen again. He sighed, and decided to clean up later, during the ceremonies.

He edged over to the side of the bed, and taking a deep breath, he tapped the wizard on the shoulder.

"Harry Potter, sir," he said.

The young man on the bed stirred and rolled over, searching for his glasses as he did so.

"What time is it?" Harry mumbled as he rubbed his eyes before putting his glasses on.

"Six o'clock, sir. You had asked me to wake you early today."

"Mmph," Harry said as he scrubbed his face. "Thank-you."

Dobby bobbed his head, and with one last doleful look around, disappeared.

Harry lay back down, staring at the ceiling. It was their last day at Hogwarts. He had decided that he wanted to say his good-byes alone this morning. He leaned over and kissed the bare shoulder beside him. The last few months had been incredible. His love for Hermione had grown stronger, and in-between classes they had spent the time getting to know each other better, even though he didn't think it was possible. He loved her with all his heart, and he was thankful for every day that he had to spend with her.

She stirred sleepily and rolled over, searching for him. She still had nightmares, but the frequency was becoming less and less. Harry hugged her, feeling her soft skin against his, and for a moment, thought about abandoning his plan and staying here, wrapped in her warmth. She nuzzled his chest and he kissed the top of her head before gently pulling away from her.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" she asked sleepily.

"I'll be fine," he said. "I won't be gone long."

He dressed quickly and quietly, and left the room. He could hear snoring coming from Ron's room and wondered how Luna could put up with it. He had asked her once, and she had said that it kept the Pustilebiddies away. They had sounded rather disgusting, and he didn't want to hear anymore about them, so he left it at that. He was happy that his best mate was content with his life.

The halls were still quiet, even the repaired paintings and their occupants were still sleeping. It could have something to do with the late night partying that had gone on, not just in the Great Hall, but also throughout the newly repaired castle. The fact that there was actually a graduating class and a school to graduate from, was cause for a celebration at its finest. Harry smiled to himself as he remembered watching Headmistress McGonagall doing a Scottish jig when she thought no one else was looking, and the look on Snape's face was priceless when she had kicked up her heels.

Snape. Now there was an interesting study. The Potions master had gone back to being his surly old self after the war. Harry knew that the man hated being indebted to him. The only thing that had changed was the begrudging respect that Harry could see in his eyes whenever the two of them were in contact with each other. Snape was very good at hiding it when others were around, but that didn't matter as much to Harry anymore. Of course, just to add salt to Snape's wounds, Harry had been called to testify on Snape's behalf after the war. Without his testimony, the man would have ended up in Azkaban with the other Death Eaters, and Snape knew that. It just frustrated him even more to be indebted to James' son, much to Harry's delight. His potions classes had become easier as well, thanks mainly to Amoura's knowledge, and his new fragile friendship with Draco had put an end to any of the taunting from that side of the table.

He opened the front door and stepped outside into the fresh summer air. It was still a little cool this morning, but that didn't bother Harry. As he began to walk he continued with his musings about Draco and Ginny. Theirs was a relationship that was fascinating to watch. They were like fire and ice, and yet she enamored Draco. There had been many fights, and after Ginny socked Ron in the nose for getting involved once, they had all learned to just watch from afar. They rarely had stayed mad with each other for very long, and the two of them held the record for the most times being caught in a broom cupboard. Of course, Ron may have had something to do with that one. He was still very protective of his little sister. Harry hadn't seen her this happy in a long time. She had found her match, although they were both still trying to convince their parents of the righteousness of the relationship.

Harry's relationship with Draco was strange; some habits were hard to let go. There were still times that the two of them went at each other, but it was more of an "I'm-better-than-you" battle, which was funny considering that Draco knew what Harry was capable of. Harry chalked it up to pride, which Draco still seemed to have in abundance. It had made for exciting times at school.

As Harry approached the Groundskeeper's hut, he felt a pang of longing for the old friend he had lost. It had been hard losing Hagrid; it hurt as much as when he had lost Sirius. Hagrid was his first friend, the one that had rescued Harry from his horrible former life, and the one who had always been there and believed in him. It had been equally hard for Gawp as well. He had cried rivers of tears in the Forbidden Forest, and his howls had kept the Centaurs awake at night. Everyone was quite relieved when Madame Olympe had finally offered to take care of him after the funeral. She had found a new clan for him in France, and the last Harry had heard was that he was beginning to do much better. Harry had spent many days after Hagrid's funeral depressed and berating fate. The realization of everything that had happened finally caught up with him. He didn't think it was fair how many good lives had been lost because of him. His anger and sorrow had been all encompassing, and he had been grateful for Remus' words of wisdom in his darkest days. He was so thankful that he hadn't lost him as well.

He smiled as he thought about Remus. He was the closest thing he had to a father, and Remus seemed to enjoy the relationship they had forged. He hadn't been spending as much time with him lately, not since Tonks had insisted they get married right after the war. She had said that the world needed a reason to celebrate. It had been a small affair, since being a werewolf was still not quite accepted in society yet. Both of them were extremely happy, and the physical changes in the professor were good to see. He looked a lot healthier, and they both were very happy.

As he wandered through the Quidditch pitch he realized that he was going to really miss the game. He enjoyed the thrill of the chase, and the freedom of flying. He would have to make sure there were many games played at the Weasley's on the weekends. Mrs. Weasley would love having them all there. The whole Weasley family had been despondent after the death of Percy, but the news from Bill and Fleur of a new baby on the way helped to soften the blow and give Mrs. Weasley something to focus on.

He reached his final destination and stood looking at the two markers by the lake. Harry was glad that Hagrid had been laid to rest beside Dumbledore. "The Eternal Keeper of Hogwarts", was carved into the stone, and Harry knew that Hagrid would wear that honor with pride. As he stood running his hand over the stone, the fluttering of wings caught his attention.

"You seem to be out early this morning, didn't you go to bed only a few hours ago?"

Harry smiled. "Keeping track of my movements still?" he asked Albion.

Albion cocked his head and looked at Harry. "Would you have it any other way?"

"Depends on what I'm doing," Harry said.

Albion chucked.

Harry was silent, caught up in his memories.

"I really miss him still," he said quietly after a moment. "The pain never goes away."

"Never completely," Albion said. "But remember it does lessen as time goes on. He will always be there, but what you need to do is choose how you want to remember him. Will it be with laughter or with tears? That is your choice to make. I personally would prefer to remember the kind hearted man who offered tea and biscuits and a glimpse of exotic animals."

"I could have done without the biscuits," Harry laughed.

He felt better when he remembered him that way, instead of lying under a shroud. He took a deep breath and looked back towards the castle. He could see Madame Hooch in the distance, with Fang bounding behind her. She had taken the lonely dog in, and the two of them were constant companions now.

"Will I see you at the ceremonies?" Harry asked.

"I will be around," Albion said.

Harry looked around again. "I'm going to miss this place," he said as he began walking back. "It's home."

"I'm sure you will always be welcome here with open arms," Albion said.

"Even after all of the…uh…activities that happened this year?" Harry asked. "Filch wasn't too happy after that last prank we played."

The phoenix cocked his head. "I think they may have been a welcome distraction after so much unpleasantry. Are you sure that you won't speak today? Many people expect it."

Harry shook his head. "This graduation isn't about me. It's about the entire graduating class. To have me speak would take away from everyone else's accomplishments. Besides, I hate making public speeches."

Albion chuckled as he rose higher in the sky before flying out of sight.

****** ****** ****** ******

Harry stood staring at himself in the mirror, very much the same way he had a year ago. He had a few more scars, reminders of the battles, and every time he looked at the young man staring at him, he was surprised to see the amount of wisdom mirrored there. So much had changed in such a short time. He was no longer an innocent young boy, eager for school; he was an adult, about to go out into the world. The thought frightened him and excited him at the same time.

A pair of arms came into view from behind him and hugged him.

"What are you thinking about?" she murmured quietly.

Harry smiled at her in the mirror. "How beautiful you looked when I came back this morning, and how I want to wake up to that every single day."

"Flatterer," she said.

"Would you consider it?" Harry asked suddenly. "Moving in with Ron and I?" "Grimmauld Place is pretty big, and there's a library…"

Hermione sighed. "You always know the way to a girl's heart. I think I would miss waking up beside you as well."

"So is that a yes?" Harry asked hopefully. Every other time he had asked, she had said no.

"You know I do need to go home, and really, you should come and meet my parents, formalities, you know," she said, and Harry knew he had won.

Harry groaned and rolled his eyes theatrically. "I suppose I'll be getting the third degree about dating daddy's little girl? Questions about sleeping arrangements?"

Hermione laughed. "Well, I suppose there may be a few…"

"Well, lets do it soon, then, before I lose my nerve. I don't want to be away from you any longer than necessary," Harry said as they headed for the door. "Nervous about your speech?"

"A little," Hermione admitted. "Perhaps if we went over it again, one more time…"

Harry laughed and pulled her through the opening. "You'll be fine," he said.

They joined the rest of the Graduating class milling around the trophy room. It was much more crowed than during the selection of the Triwizard's cup. Ron waved them over to the corner where he, Seamus, Dean and Neville were standing, looking splendid in their Gryffindor colors.

"You clean up pretty good for a Weasley," Harry teased.

"Look who's talking, scruffy," Ron shot back, laughing.

"Quiet down, quiet down," Professor McGonagall said as she entered the room. "Line up, alphabetical order, as we practiced. I will not have my graduating class acting like a bumbling band of baboons,"

"She sure likes that phrase, doesn't she?" Harry whispered to Ron, who was wincing from earlier memories.

Harry could hear the strands of music beginning to play as they were led out towards the Great Hall. He looked around, trying to memorize every detail as they walked. It was going to be hard leaving. They entered to a standing ovation; every student was in the audience, along with friends and family of the graduating class. Harry was happy to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sitting in the front row. They were so proud of Ron and his accomplishments, and it showed on Mrs. Weasley's tear-stained face. He saw the Grangers sitting behind the Weasley's, with a look of awe at their surroundings. Harry figured that they must have been brought in along with the other muggle parents. They were easy to pick out from the crowd; they were the ones who seemed enthralled by their environment.

Professor McGonagall approached the podium, and the crowd was instantly silent.

"Good afternoon," she started. "I would like to welcome you today in honoring our graduating class. Today's ceremony marks an important milestone in a young witch or wizard's life. The day they are no longer coddled as young children, but invited into our society as young adults. Of course," she said as she smiled at those sitting in front of her, "Many of these young people have already taken their first steps, proving to the rest of us that sometimes, old age is only a number, not a prerequisite for responsibility."

There were a few titters in the crowd, and Harry found himself smiling at her comment, especially after she had earlier caught him in a compromising situation with Hermione.

"At this point and time I would like to introduce you to our class valedictorian, a witch that has been described as the brightest witch of our age. I have been honored not only to be her teacher and the head of her house, but also count her as a friend. Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Hermione Granger."

There was a thunder of applause as Hermione, blushing furiously, stood and made her way to the front of the room to the waiting hug of the Headmistress. Harry saw McGonagall say something to Hermione, who nodded as she brushed away tears. With a final squeeze of her shoulder, the Professor moved off and sat with the rest of the dignitaries on the side.

As the applause continued, Hermione pulled out her notes and looked around the Great Hall. Harry could almost see her trying to memorize the moment, much as he had earlier. Her eyes fell on her parents, and he saw her stand up a bit straighter as she gave them a small smile. She let her eyes scan the hall again, commanding their attention, and the applause died down. As her eyes met Harry's, he mouthed, "love you", and smiled as she blushed.

Ron poked him in the side. "Don't distract her," he whispered, smirking.

"Ladies and gentlemen, teachers, fellow students and distinguished guests," she began, and Harry saw her "Bookworm" persona come to the forefront. "It gives me great honor to be standing before you as a representative of Hogwarts' graduating class."

"For many years Hogwarts has been instrumental in educating young witches and wizards. The four founders had envisioned a place where students could come together and not only learn their craft, but learn how to make our world a better place. For that, we are forever grateful. Each of the founders had their strengths, and it was those strengths that were used to separate the four houses.

"In the following centuries our houses had grown apart as we focused more on our differences than our similarities. In normal circumstances this wasn't a problem, but recently there arose a wizard that was singularly gifted in exploiting those differences. His strategy was to divide and conquer through fear, suspicion, and hate. It was only when we transcended our differences and worked together for the common good that he was defeated."

Hermione paused as she took a moment to compose herself. She brushed away the tears and continued.

"His defeat came at great cost, and many will not be able to enjoy the fruits of our hard won victory. I hope that in the forge of their sacrifice we will build a new community that will include all of our magical brethren. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin each embody different characteristics, yet we all practice the same magic. It is this unity in the face of our apparent diversity that enabled us to defeat Lord Voldemort. It took more than one criteria to win against Voldemort's evil. It took bravery, intelligence, steadfastness, and cunning. Divided, one is no better than the others. United, they are a force to be reckoned with. That is why, for the first time in history, that all four house colors are flying; one is no stronger than the others. It took the combined efforts from all houses to win our greatest battle, and so that is why we recognize the bravery of Gryffindor, the intelligence of Ravenclaw, the perseverance of Hufflepuff, and the cunning of Slytherin."

She stopped speaking and pried her fingers loose from the edge of the podium. Quietly she continued.

"Our uniforms place each of us with our houses, yet, how can we place each person under only one category when some of us have more than one strength? There are those among us who encompass the idealism and abilities of all four houses. They seem to bravely shine a little bit brighter than the rest. These are natural leaders, and the ones we look up to. One in particular who seemed to give of himself a bit more than anyone else," she finished quietly.

Hermione smiled briefly at Harry, and he felt his face go warm. He hadn't remembered that part of the speech. He hadn't wanted the accolades; it was one of the few things they had fought about. He didn't take his eyes off of her, even though he could feel every eye in the place trained on him.

"I will get you later for this," he thought and let one side of his mouth lift in a small smirk.

She answered his challenge with a smirk of her own, and broke eye contact with him to looked around the room once again. She looked at the audience expectantly, raining one eyebrow. No one in the audience could miss the gesture or fail to understand its significance. One by one they rose clapping in Harry's honor. The roar of applause made Hermione stop, and Harry steeled himself for what was coming next. He knew that this part would be hard.

Hermione waited for the applause to die down, and Harry noticed that she was staring straight out, not making eye contact with anyone.

"As with all wars there comes a terrible price. Many lives have been lost not just in the final battle, but also during the many years that led up to that final moment. I would like to take a moment now to recognize those we will miss."

Harry heard the music start quietly, and watched as some of the younger students came in carrying candles. They made their way to the front of the hall, and one by one, lit one of the many candles waiting there as the names were called out. Harry heard a few sniffles throughout the crowd, and had to swallow past the lump in his throat. He bowed his head to hide the tears that were threatening to come. Every time he heard a name, it was like a knife through his heart again. He knew it wasn't his fault, he had accepted that it was their choice to follow him, but it still hurt, and always would. Perhaps that was why he, and all those who knew his secret, knew that Harry would never succumb to the darkness of having great power. It was the difference between him and Voldemort, the ability to love.

The Great Hall was unusually quiet when the candle-lighting ceremony was finished, aside from the odd sniffle in the crowd. Harry risked looking up and watched as Hermione dabbed her eyes and composed herself. She took a deep breath and looked out at the sea of faces.

"The future, our future, is ours to shape and mold without the fear of darkness threatening to take it from us. We can have pride in knowing that we have learned from the best, and for that we are thankful. They have given us the tools to make our world a better place. As a very famous headmaster once said, sometimes we must choose between what is easy and what is right," she smiled at Harry. "I have made my choice, and I know that many of you have made yours as well. I wish all of us good luck in our future endeavors, and remember, you are not just a graduate from Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw, Gryffindor or Slytherin; you are a graduate from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

The graduating class all jumped to their feet as Hermione descended from the podium. The applause was deafening, and Harry felt pride in knowing that Hermione, his Hermione, was accepted and loved by everyone here. As the graduating class surrounded her and McGonagall attempted to regain order, Harry stayed back to watch. This was her moment to shine. He wasn't surprised to see Luna sidle up to him. She wasn't graduating yet, but he had seen her in the audience.

"She's going to be a wonderful mother for your children," she said dreamily.

Harry flushed and looked at her incredulously.

"You have go to stop doing that, Luna, it makes people uncomfortable," he laughed.

Luna shrugged. "It's what I see," she said. She reached up and kissed Harry on the cheek. "Congratulations," she said before heading back to her seat. He wondered if she was congratulating him on graduating, or for the future she was seeing. He shook his head as he turned to watch Hermione gracefully accept the accolades, looking forward to the chance of having a future that Luna had envisioned.

The graduating class finally settled, but not before Harry had heard McGonagall muttering about "baboons" under her breath several times. The rest of the ceremony went smoothly, and after many congratulations, backslapping, and the final banquet, Harry and Hermione were once again heading back upstairs to their quarters.

"Last night," Hermione whispered.

"Yup," Harry agreed as he kissed the fingers entwined with his. He held their hands up so he could see her hand.

"You're still wearing it," he said as he taped the ring.

"Of course," Hermione said. "I told you that I wasn't going to take it off. It's what binds us together, and I wanted to make sure you would keep your promise and come back."

"It wasn't the ring that kept me here, it was you," Harry said as he kissed her hand again.

Hermione smiled. "You say the sweetest things, sometimes."

They reached the top of the stairs and Harry pulled Hermione into one of the alcoves, trapping her between his body and the wall.

"Harry, what are you doing?" she laughed.

"Well, I figure that the Head boy and girl wouldn't be patrolling tonight, so…"

"Harry, we're the ones supposed to be on patrol…" She never got to finish her sentence.

He leaned in and claimed her lips; he had wanted to do that ever since the end of her speech. She snaked her arms up around his shoulders, and eagerly returned his kiss. Harry could feel his body responding to her, and could feel that tingle building inside him. He deepened the kiss, running his hand up the sides of her body. He let the feeling build, embracing it and sent it out towards Hermione. She responded with a gasp, arching into him as she did so. Harry trailed light kisses down her throat until he reached the hollow at the base. He nuzzled her neck as she clung to him, and he smiled, nipping the skin with his lips and making her shiver. It never ceased to amaze him that he could affect her this way, that he could love someone as much as this.

"You know," he whispered in between the small kisses he gave her, "I'm sure the paintings in the hall are having quite a show, but I don't want to give them anything more to gossip about. Shall we retire to our bedroom?"

Hermione looked up at him and giggled, which was quite out of character for her.

"Why Mr. Potter, which one would that be? Your `our bedroom', or my `our bedroom'?"

"Yours, of course," Harry grinned as he led her by the hand. "I swear your bed is bigger, and I would hate to confuse Dobby by switching rooms again."

As they approached the opening, Sir Edward bowed low and opened the door for them. Harry reached down and scooped Hermione up in his arms, causing her to giggle again. He headed straight for her room, kicking the door shut behind him. The room had already been set for the night, the bedcovers had been turned down and Harry noticed that the room had been cleaned.

He gently set Hermione down on the edge of the bed and took his graduating robes off, tossing them on the chair. Hermione watched him hungrily as he quickly divested himself of the rest of his clothes, until he was left with only his boxers. She let her eyes wander up and down his well-toned body as she slowly pulled her robe off. She would never get tired of looking at him or touching him.

He came to her and pulled her to her feet.

"I missed you," he whispered as he kissed her gently.

"I didn't go anywhere," she smiled.

"You didn't need to," he said as he slowly unbuttoned her shirt. "The fact that I wasn't kissing you was horrible enough."

Hermione rolled her eyes and swatted his arm. "Has Fred been giving you pick up lines again?" she asked with a smile.

Harry grinned and shrugged. "Did it work?"

"No," Hermione said, trying not to smile. "It was horrible."

"So how about if I said that I thought you were the most beautiful woman I have ever known, and that I count my lucky stars every day that I fell in love with you?" Harry said as he threw her shirt on to the growing pile of clothes.

"Did he give you that one as well?" Hermione said huskily as she ran a finger up his chest.

"No," Harry said, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of her hands on his bare skin. "That one is all mine."

"Then I like it much better," she whispered as she pulled him back to the bed.

As they snuggled together, Harry realized that Hermione was still half-dressed. He closed his eyes, concentrated, and flicked his hand. All of their remaining clothes disappeared.

"I certainly hope you know where they went," Hermione said, pouting. "That was my favorite pair of knickers."

"I'll buy you another one," Harry said as he nuzzled her neck and performed a contraceptive spell over her.

He let his hands roam over her skin, giving her goosebumps. He cupped her breast, letting his thumb graze the nipple and making it harden. Hermione arched into his hand, and he leaned down to capture the other nipple in his mouth, swirling his tongue around it as he did so. Hermione tangled one hand in his hair while the other hand drew patterns on his back.

"Harry," she moaned, trying to pull him closer to her.

He claimed her lips again as he settled in between her legs. He didn't want to rush this, but he was aching with desire and didn't know how much longer he would last. He entered her slowly, enjoying the feeling of her warmth as it surrounded him. When he was fully sheathed, he stopped, and looked down at her, mesmerized by her beauty. She opened her eyes and looked at him questioningly. For a moment, neither spoke, and the silence seemed powerful; the joining of two souls to become one, and Harry suddenly realized the power he had: the power to love someone more than life itself.

"I love you so much," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "You make my life complete."

Hermione smiled up at him through sudden tears. "I love you too," she whispered. "I wish we could stay like this forever."

He held her close, moving slowly, savoring the pleasure he was feeling. Hermione wrapped herself around him, and they moved together, performing the ageless dance of lovers. Slowly they moved, in perfect harmony, as though they were one. They kissed each other lightly, neither one of them in a hurry to have this moment end, both of them thankful to have this moment with the one they loved. Harry groaned as he felt the pleasure building, and sped up his movements. Hermione threw her head back, and Harry closed his eyes as he felt the first shockwaves of pleasure vibrate through his body. He held her close, as he heard her cry out and shudder through her orgasm, and he felt himself fall over the edge, crying out her name as he collapsed on top of her. A surge of magic seemed to explode from him, showering the room in light, like a celebration of their love, although neither one noticed.

After a moment he slowly rolled over, taking her with him. He could feel her heart beating in time with his, and it soothed him. He found her hand and wove his fingers through hers, brushing past the ring that she wore on her finger. He lazily played with it as he listened to her breathing, content to be there and no where else. He heard her sigh contentedly, and he smiled to himself as he felt her relax against him, her breathing becoming more even. He waved his hand at the comforter, which settled down on top of them. Harry brought her hand up and kissed it softly, before closing his eyes contentedly.

"We have forever, my love," he murmured, "forever and always."

As his consciousness slipped into sleep, a part of him became aware of those who were beyond the veil. He walked dreaming, hand in hand with Hermione, among his mentors and friends. Upon waking he would take with him their approval of what he had done and the strength to become the man he had to be, for Hermione and the world they would work to rebuild.

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