"Look, there's one!" Harry whispered, raising his arm and pointing at the shooting star crossing the sky. "Make a wish!"
With a smile, she moved a little closer to him and rested her head against his shoulder. She watched the small star move through the sky, but didn't make a wish. She already had everything she could ever want.
She reached for Harry's outstretched arm and threaded her fingers with his, watching his larger hand wrap around hers. It was so calm there, the two of them alone at night, lying on the grass and watching the stars. She hoped the rest of her life, of their life, would be like that. She couldn't remember being so happy.
"You know, I was thinking," Harry said, as he lowered their arms, "maybe we could go somewhere, until things calm down a little here."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, everything's a little crazy, with the press following us, and the Ministry trying to round up the last Death Eaters. Maybe it'd be a good time for a trip. The two of us."
With her eyes still on the twinkling stars in the sky, she whispered, "What did you have in mind?"
"I don't know, France, or maybe Italy. Where would you like to go?"
"Rome."
"Then Rome it is. Oh, another one," he said, and her eyes followed a second shooting star. She tilted her head and watched him close his eyes, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"What did you wish for?" she asked, when he opened his eyes again.
"Can't tell you."
"Yes, you can. Please?"
"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," he said with a broad smile, as he turned on his side to face her.
"Fine. You first."
"I wished for us to always be this happy."
"I wished for a kiss."
"Really?" he asked, and she smiled as she nodded. "Well, I think your wish is about to come true."
She licked her lips as she watched him lean closer, felt his lips against hers, and her eyes closed as she gave in to the feeling. She pulled him to her as she parted her lips, and felt the world vanish around them as they kissed. In that precious moment nothing else existed. Nothing but the two of them.
"I love you," Harry said between kisses.
"I love you, too," she replied. And she did. More than she had ever loved anybody. It had taken them so long to realise their perfect partners had always been there, standing by their side. But finally her eyes had opened, and so had his, and they had seen the truth. Now they were together, happy, talking about marriage, and kids, and growing old together. And after everything they had gone through, the war, the fear, the loss, she knew they both deserved the happiness they had received.
"Maybe we should go back home," Harry suggested, moving his hands up her sides, and she nodded. Then he leaned down again for another lingering kiss.
This time, when she opened her eyes, it wasn't dark any more. The green light fell from the sky tinting the world in that colour that preceded pain and death. They both reached for their wands, their reflexes fast from years of practice. But the Death Eaters hidden in the shadows were already attacking.