Ooh ooh ooh
16 year old Serene Maria Malfoy walked into her house with a brown, leather messenger bag over her shoulder. She walked up the stairs and into her purple room. She laid the bag on her purple bed and ran back downstairs.
I can't believe you're here with me
And now it seems my world's complete
And I never want this moment to end
I close my eyes and still I see
My dreams become reality
The teen smiled as she stood on the porch the circled the entire house. She closed her eyes as she felt the cool air hit her skin. She looked out at the beautiful view when she opened her eyes. She was so happy that Hermione had decided to take her away for a while.
Serene walked down the stairs, her feet bare, her white nightgown thin, and her blonde hair in wet waves as she tip toed to the great room. She ducked behind the wall as she listened to the conversation her new mother and her uncles were having.
"Hermione, you should enroll her in school," Harry argued.
"Harry, she's just a kid that's never gone to school. I think I should home school her for a while," Hermione told him sternly.
"Hermione, she really should go to school, theirs no use for her in the wizard world," Ron told her gently, "she's a squib."
"Ron, she's been through a terrible ordeal, her own parents tried to kill her. She needs to get away from both worlds for a while," Hermione shot back, becoming irritated.
And now I know how it feels to be in love
I prayed so many nights that you would come my way
An angel from above to light my darkest day
I think it's time for you to hear these lines
'Cos there's something I want to say
Serene was interrupted by the ring of her cell phone. She looked down at the caller ID.
'Jamie Bonner'
"Hey Jamie," she said as she flipped open the red blackberry.
"Hey, what ya up to?"
"I'm at Mione's right now. What up?" Serene asked as she walked down the steps and out the back, into the apple orchard.
"Ya forgot some books at Eastland."
"How would you know?" Serene asked as she strolled along the well worn path.
"Ya roommate, Laurie-Ann, called."
"Of course she did," Serene said as she rolled her eyes, "She's always worrying about me."
"Well Princess, I'll see ya when ya come back ta school."
"'Kay Jamie, I'll call you later, I think I see Mione's Mercedes."
"'Kay Princess, I'll see ya."
Serene smiled as she put her cell on the table. She smiled as she spotted her guardian stepping out of the car. She immediately broke into a run, causing her white summer dress to catch the wind.
"SERENE!" Hermione yelled as she hugged the teen. "I didn't know you were coming. Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione gushed as she eyed Serene's hair.
"Don't ya like it?" Serene asked with a teasing smile.
"Ya? Has Jamie been rubbing off on you?" Hermione asked in her friendly nature.
"You know she has," Serene answered with a thousand-watt smile.
"And you're hair looks wonderful," Hermione said as she led her young charge into the house. "Ok, how about you go and change while I get dinner started, then we can catch up."
"'ight," Serene chimed as she ran up the stairs.
I finally found what I've been looking for
And now you know I'm going to love you more
Hold me tight 'cos it's always been you
(It's always been you)
To think that you were always there (always there)
To be my friend and wipe away my tears
Now it's clear that it's always been you
Serene smiled as she skipped the last step, wearing a red tank, boot cut blue jeans, and a jeans jacket.
"Hit play on the stereo," Hermione told her as she cut a tomato. Serene nodded as she walked over to the stereo. She laughed as Goodbye to You by Scandal came on.
"What ya want me ta do?" Serene asked as she walked over to Hermione.
"Chop this." Hermione handed the teen a knife and some onions.
"'Kay."
~*~
"Goodbye to you Goodbye to you…" Serene sang as she danced around the kitchen, using a wooden spoon as a microphone.
"Goodbye to you Goodbye to you…" Hermione sang as she laughed.
"Goodbye baby…"
"So long darling…"
"Goodbye to you…" they finished in unison as Hermione set the food on the glass table in front of the couch.
"Oh, Mione, I invited a friend over, is that ok?" Serene asked as she and her guardian settled down on the floor, in front of the TV.
"Boyfriend?" Hermione asked, teasingly.
"Yeah, he's from Bates Academy."
Ding Dong
"He's here."
Sometimes you don't expect that friends
Can become lovers in the end
Only God knows what the future will bring
So hold me close and don't let go
'Cos this is love boy, don't you know?
And we're gonna be together for eternity
I prayed so many nights that you would come my way
An angel from above to light my darkest day
A love so strong it can't be wrong
It's with you that I belong
"Serene…" James started as he grabbed her hand.
"What is it James?" she asked him, her eyes large and innocent. He turned from her, as his eyes scanned the dark park. He turned back to face her again. He smiled as he saw her pink cheeks and the small puffs of hot air as she exhaled into the frosty February air.
"I've wanted to say this for a long time," he told her as he smiled down at her.
"Say what?" she asked, giving him a face full of confusion.
"Serene Malfoy, I love you with all my heart and soul. I know we're meant to be together. Will you, Serene Malfoy, marry me?" he asked as he got down on one knee.
Serene's eyes widened as she stared down at him. Her fingers almost let his leather jacket fall from her shoulders.
For a split second James thought she was going to turn him down when a smile spread across her beautiful face.
"Yes, I'll marry you." She laughed as he started jumping around in delight. He scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around. "James," she screeched in laughter, "put me down."
I finally found what I've been looking for (finally found)
And now you know I'm going to love you more
Hold me tight 'cos it's always been you
(It's always been you)
To think that you were always there ( you were always there)
To be my friend and wipe away my tears
Now it's clear that it's always been you (you)
"I'm not sure I can do this," Serene said for the fifth time in an hour's time spanned.
"Serene, ya'll be fine," Jamie said as she walked over to her best friend.
"How'd ya know?" Serene asked as she stared at her maid of honor.
"'Cause ya're the prettiest and smartest woman I know. You're 25 and getting married, ya're livin' most girls' dreams," the brunette said as she hugged her.
"You'll be ok hun," Hermione reassured her as she walked into the dressing room in a light purple gown. "When I got married to Charlie, I was nerves too, don't you remember?"
"Yeah…"
"And look how happy we are…" Hermione said as she gave her a reassuring hug, "You'll do fine."
"Thanks Hermione," Serene said as she grabbed her red rose bouquet.
~*~
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride," the preacher said with a smile.
Serene smiled as she and her new husband leaned in for their first kiss as husband and wife. As the couple pulled apart the two ran down the aisle as rise was thrown their way.
"Come on Mrs. James Daniels," James laughed as he pulled her into the limo.
"I love you," she whispered as she leaned in for another kiss.
(This time) this time
I'm gonna make sure it turns out right
I wanna be your everything and by your side
For the rest of my life
(This love)
This love feels the way that love should be
Look in my eyes and realize there's no disguise
'Cos I'm in love with you
Serene smiled as she danced across the ballroom, in her new husband's arms. She could see Jamie dancing with the best man on the other side of the dance floor in her black dress. She could see Hermione dancing with Charlie and Tom (Blair's son) dancing with Natalia (flower girl).
"Alright, now it's time for the father/daughter dance," the announcer said as he put on one of Serene's favorite songs: I Loved her First.
"Go on hun," James said as he kissed her forehead. Serene nodded as she walked out to meet Charlie in the middle of the dance floor.
"I'll try not to step on your feet," Charlie whispered as he took her hand.
"You really are a dad to me," she whispered with a soft smile as he led her around the dance floor.
"Thank you," Charlie whispered. As the song came to an end, he pressed his lips to her forehead, "I love you sweetie."
Serene only smiled as she stepped away from him and towards her husband. The smile was beautiful and her blonde hair framed her face in such a way that every set of eyes were on her and solely her.
I finally found what I've been looking for
And now you know I'm going to love you more
Hold me tight 'cos it's always been you
To think that you were always there (you were always there)
To be my friend and wipe away my tears
(Wipe away my tears)
Now it's clear that it's always been you
(It's always been you)
Serene smiled as she held a pink bundle in her arms. She was exhausted and sore, but she couldn't sleep until she named this beautiful child in her arms
"How're you doing honey?" James asked as he smiled down at his daughter.
"I'm ok, I think I have the perfect name," Serene told him, mischief in her emerald eyes. She leaned in and whispered the name to him. He immediately beamed and nodded his head in approval.
"That'll be great hun."
"How ya doin'?" Jamie asked as she walked into the hospital room with Hermione, Charlie, and Serene and James's son, Draco Daniels.
"Well, we have a name, but we wanna run it by you all," Serene told them as she cradled the baby girl in her arms. "We want to name her Joanna Hermione Daniels."
As the name hit everyone, Hermione beamed and tears sprang into Jamie's eyes.
"Joanna? After my mother?" Jamie asked as she stared down at the infant in Serene's arms. Serene nodded as she stared up at her long time best friend.
Jo Bonner had been like another mother to her as she grew up. During her years at Eastland Jo had come to visit them almost every weekend. She would bring gifts and would take the girls out for lunch and the arcade and dirt bike races. Then while she was on a case she was shot protecting a six year old girl from a psycho killer. She'd been in a coma in the very hospital they were at now. She died, never waking up, two years later when she and Jamie were 18. Jo was important to her and had a lot to do with Serene being the person she was today.
"I loved Jo very much Jamie and I can't think of a better way to honor her then to give my daughter her name," Serene told her sincerely. "Wanna hold her?"
"Yea," Jamie whispered as Serene handed her the beautiful baby.
"We have one more question Jamie…"
"What?" Jamie asked as she looked up.
"We want you to be Jo's godmother."
"I will, I promise," Jamie whispered as she kissed her goddaughter's little hand.
"Daddy." Everyone turned to look at Draco as he raised his hands, asking his dad to pick him up. Serene smiled at her son as James picked him up. He walked over to Jamie so Draco could see his baby sister.
"This is Jo, Draco," James told his son as the little boy peered at the porcelain face of the baby girl.
"Hi Jo, I'm Draco," the little boy whispered to his baby sister.
I finally found what I've been looking for (I finally found)
And now you know I'm going to love you more
Hold (oh) me tight 'cos it's always been you
(It's always been you)
To think that you were always there (don't you know?)
To be my friend and wipe away my tears (oh baby)
Now it's clear that it's always been you
(Always been you, yeah yeah)
Serene Daniels sat on the bench of the funeral home in her black dress. She had her six year old daughter on her lap and her nine year old son sitting next to her. Slow tears ran down her angel face as she stared at the body of her best friend.
"We are gathered here today because of the death of Jamie Ann Bonner. When Jamie was a little girl, she was accepted into Eastland School for Girls where she met her best friend Serene Daniels, Malfoy at the time…" the words seemed to fade out as Serene watched her friend's husband of four years. He was holding their two year old daughter, Jane, in his arms.
"Amen…" Serene whispered as everyone stood. Serene walked up to Carter (Jamie's husband) and took Jane from him as he walked over to his wife's casket. Jane didn't resist. Serene turned to see her beautiful daughter crying; Draco, being the protective brother he was, was holding her and whispering soothing things to her.
I finally found what I've been looking for (I finally found it)
And now you know I'm going to love you more
(Yeah, I finally found it)
Hold me tight 'cos it's always been you
(It's always been you oh)
To think that you were always there (what I been looking for)
To be my friend and wipe away my tears
(What I been looking for)
Now it's clear that it's always been you
(Always always)
Serene smiled as she watched her daughter standing at the podium.
"None of us arrived here today alone, we've received support in the hard times, encouragement when we felt something was just out of our reach, love when we're sure, and most importantly… we have been prepared to make our way, out their in the real world and succeed. We are all family here at Eastland, and if we leave today with nothing else, we leave with this one lesson: No matter were you are, no matter how difficult something might seem, we're never alone. We have a parents that led here, we have the teacher's that held our hands, and we have our friends that gave us shoulders to cry on; and just because we're leaving, it doesn't make all these things disappear cause we always know that there is someone out there who will help us in our time of need.
Now I want to bring our attention to a girl that was here at school when we were all thirteen. Her name was Mary-Ann Jacobs. Few people knew her name. It was January 13th that everyone knew her name. She committed suicide that day. She was unhappy, and none of us saw it. It was this day that Eastland realized something. We are family and family helps each other through the hard times.
I called my mom the day I found out about her death. She answered the phone to hear me crying. That day she took off from her job and drove all the way up here to talk to me. She held me as I cried for a girl I'd never even known. The next day my mother and I held a meeting with the student council. We decided to restart a hotline that was started by Blair Warner after the suicide of a girl named Cynthia. After it remained inactive for ten years they let it stop when it was needed the most. She could have called it but it wasn't active anymore.
So my mom and I decided that we will make it our job to keep it running no matter what. We are leaving this school as adults, but those two girls never got to walk up here in their graduation gown and receive their diplomas like the rest of us. Let us take a moment to honor them." Jo bowed her head as everyone sat in silence.
"She's doing great isn't she?" Serene asked her husband as she bounced her four year old daughter, Jamie, on her lap.
"Yeah she is, it feels like just yesterday she was born and now she's graduating High School."
"Now without further ado our Head Mistress, Mrs. Blair Warner," Jo said as she stepped down from the podium.
After exceptions when everyone was standing with their diplomas the audience clapped. Serene smiled as she watched her junior in collage whistle and yell for his sister.
She could only laugh as she kissed her daughters cheeks, wishing her mother had been the same.
"I love you sweetie."
Her daughter was right, this wasn't the end, it was the beginning.