Author's Notes: I always felt that Harry and Hermione belonged together and after having a mini marathon weekend of going through the books and the movies, I'm even more convinced of it. So this is my vision of how they come together. It's definitely AU, totally non-compliant and 100% Harmony all the way! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in relation to Harry Potter.

Fidgeting nervously, Harry tugs at his collar for the tenth time until he instantly freezes in place when he hears the first strains of the wedding march. And then just as suddenly, he seems to melt as he visibly relaxes upon spying Hermione at the other end of the aisle.

Impatiently watching the maddeningly slow pace of Hermione and her father, Harry finds his mind beginning to drift to days gone by as he recalls just a few of the reasons why he loves her so much and one very special memory in particular.

He thinks back on how during their first year, she lied about the troll to keep him and Ron out of trouble even after they had hurt her feelings, she helped him overcome obstacles guarding the Sorcerer's Stone so that he could face down his fears by confronting Voldemort and equally as important, or at least to him, she gave him his first hug. One that he could actually remember.

In second year, she had been petrified but even then she gave him the secret of the Basilisk, allowing him to figure out the rest and end the threat of the Chamber of Secrets once and for all.

At the end of third year, she helped him to save Sirius and saved his own life from Lupin's werewolf form while managing to endanger his future self at the very same moment, he remembers with an amused grin. And she punched Malfoy! Oh yeah, no way is he ever going to forget that.

Fourth year brought threats and slurs from Harry's admirers in the wizarding world which she handled with dignity and grace, she relentlessly researched for ways to aid him in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and she never once gave up on him even though he had momentarily given up on her their prior year. He grimaces slightly at the memory. As if a Firebolt could ever make him soar as high as Hermione does. He sighs inwardly. Ah well, he blamed the immaturity of youth.

There had been so much more after that. Joining the Order, fighting their way through the Department of Mysteries, searching for the horcruxes, secrets held deep within their hearts and secrets shared. The most important one being how they truly felt for each other. He still remembers that night with perfect clarity, it had been weeks after Ron had left them when the truth came out. They were in the tent, both restlessly pacing while they argued, as the locket had been wearing on him for days. For once, however the power of the locket had worked in his favor.

*******Flashback*******

Harry stalks over to Hermione and circles round her trying to catch her eye as she continues to turn away to avoid him. "He couldn't possibly love you, Hermione! If he had, then he would've stayed!"

Hermione shakes her head, more in denial of his treatment of her than the actual words themselves. "Stop it, Harry!"

"No, I won't!" he huffs angrily as he takes hold of her shoulders to turn her towards him. "You have to see reason, Hermione, it's just that simple!" Without warning, he grasps her face between his hands, forcing her to look at him when she tries to pull away. "Ron doesn't love you, Hermione, but I do." He laughs darkly. "Funny, isn't it? I'm supposed to be the one with the vision impairment, so how is it that you can't see that?" He shakes his head sadly and gently mocks, "And here I thought that you were supposed to be the brightest witch of your age."

Hermione can only stare back at him speechless. How can words that pierced her heart in one moment, fill it with light and hope in the next? "You love me?" she whispers disbelievingly. Then in a more self-depracating tone, "You love me?" She shakes her head in fervent dismissal of the idea. "That's not you talking, Harry, that's the locket!"

"It isn't the locket!" he insists heatedly. "I've loved you for a long time."

"As a friend maybe," she returns firmly while ignoring his glare, "but nothing more than that." Harry merely stares back at her in stubborn silence and when the intensity of his gaze begins to unnerve her, she gathers her Gryffindor courage and stares back at him in defiance. "Fine then, Harry Potter, then can you please explain to me what has created this sudden change after all of these years of being best friends?"

"It's not sudden," he declares without hesitation as he runs his hand through his hair in frustration. "At least the love part isn't, just the realization of exactly which kind of love I feel for you." He steps closer to her as he pins her down with his gaze. "You're my best friend, Hermione, but you're not my sister and unfortunately as with most things, it took me a very long while to realize it. Throughout the years, you've been my comfort, my strength and most often my common sense. You've argued with me and fought alongside me, you've helped me with your brilliance and courage and have always stood by me in the end no matter what." He grabs one of her hands to tug her even closer while his other hand tucks away a stray curl behind her ear before cradling her jaw and rubbing his thumb across her cheek. "All of these years, you haven't just been saving my life, you've taught me how to live it." His breath ghosts across her lips. "And that's why I love you."

"Oh, Harry," she emits on a wistful sigh as she closes her eyes, "it sounds too good to be true."

He takes her hand in his and grips it tightly. "Have a little faith, Hermione."

She reaches up and smoothes down his hair with a small smile. "I've always had faith in you, Harry."

"Have faith in us, Hermione," he urges, his tone almost a command.

The silence stretches on over the next few minutes as she thoroughly ponders his request until she suddenly questions, "What about Ginny?"

He takes a step back from her so that he can meet her gaze directly. "We've been drifting apart for a while now, long before we started searching for the horcruxes." He notes her worried expression and hastens to assure her, "Trust me, she won't be surprised when I tell her that it's over and she definitely won't be shocked to find out why it's over." He wears a half guilty, half sheepish expression. "You were a topic that popped up all too frequently during our time together and she didn't appreciate that any more than Lavender did with Ron." His eyes narrow and his features appear troubled as he asks, "Er...speaking of which, what about Ron?"

Hermione's answering grimace immediately turns into a resigned frown. "You've been there throughout our entire relationship, Harry, you know that it's never been an easy road for us. Is it honestly any great surprise that his walking out on us was the conclusion to that particular aspect of our relationship?"

"I guess not," he acknowledges sympathetically. His brows furrow together in concern. "You will still be friends though, right?"

"Of course, we'll still be friends," she assures him with a genuine smile. "Nothing can break up the Golden Trio!" Her smile begins to lessen as she scans the otherwise empty tent with a sad sigh. "At least not for long...I hope." Harry gives her hand a reassuring squeeze before he tucks her into a comforting embrace. She nestles against him and whispers, "I love you too, Harry."

His head jerks back at her confession. "What? You do? Really?" he squeaks in a higher than normal tone.

"Yes, really," she replies casually with a hint of amusement. "Does it truly come as that much of a surprise?"

Harry gives a nervous shrug. "Well...yes, actually. I mean, besides being the Boy Who Lived, what's so special about me?"

Hermione lays her hands on his chest, her right hand resting over his heart. "The only thing special about the Boy Who Lived is that he survived the killing curse but there's so much more to Harry Potter. You were raised by those awful Dursleys for one thing. Creatures so vile that not even Hagrid could love them!" Harry's mouth quirks into a wry grin at the accuracy of the statement. "Not to mention the trials that you've had to face, from school taunts to never ending death threats from Voldemort, the ever watchful eye of the ministry and losing Sirius." Harry's expression closes off at the memory of his godfather and he shuts his eyes tight. She gently lifts his chin until he reopens his eyes and looks at her. "And yet through all the pain that you've suffered, you still manage to keep an open mind as well as an open heart. That's what urged you to befriend a bushy haired know-it-all, free Dobby from the Malfoys and risk everything you are to save the ones you love time and time again." Her eyes soften as she watches him stand there with a blush on his cheeks while his gaze drinks her in. "How could I not love you, Harry Potter?"

He breathes a sigh of relief as he embraces her, elation filling his entire being. Eventually, he leans back and seeks reassurance that he's not imagining this, that she's actually ready to take this first step into a new relationship. "Are you sure about this, Hermione? Do you really think that we can make this work?"

She merely offers him a dazzling smile and tugs him down to her whispering against his mouth before kissing him. "Harry...have a little faith."

*******End of Flashback*******

Hermione grips her father's arm in excitement while she continues to keep in step and make her way towards Harry. She releases a tiny giggle when she realizes that he's sporting the same goofy smile that he always wears whenever he's remembering the night they revealed that they loved each other. She smiles softly as she remembers how they had talked until dawn, finally opening up about everything until they were left in no doubt where they stood. Her eyes begin to mist over and she takes a quick sniff to forestall the oncoming tears as she recalls the night that he proposed to her. It was the following night after the final battle and they were lying on a blanket in the middle of the quidditch pitch, simply enjoying the peace and quiet around them while gazing at the stars. Harry had been the first one to break the silence.

*******Flashback*******

"Hermione?" he broaches quietly. She turns her head towards him, waiting for him to continue. "Do you see us together in ten years time?"

She remains silent for a few moments to carefully consider the question before giving her answer in the affirmative. "Yes, Harry, I believe that I do."

Harry slowly releases a breath that he didn't even realize that he had been holding. "Good...that's good," he murmurs in an expectant tone. "And what about twenty or fifty years from now, still the same?"

"Yes, still the same," she replies without hesitation but her voice reflects her bemusement.

"Excellent," he proclaims in supreme satisfaction. "What about kids and travel? Are both something that you'd consider?"

Hermione pushes herself up onto her elbows and stares down at him quizically. "Harry, what's going on here? What exactly are you asking me?"

He takes a steadying breath and declares firmly, "I'm asking you to marry me, Hermione." He finally turns to face her, watching her in earnest while he reaches out to grab her hand in a death grip. "Will you marry me?"

"What?" she shrieks as she bolts upright. "You mean here, right now?"

Harry pushes himself up to sit alongside her. "Well, I wasn't planning on right this minute but I'm game for it if that's what you want."

Hermione stares back at him completely dumbfounded. "What I want to know is what you're on about, Harry!" Seeing his slight look of hurt and disappointment, she amends, "I mean, of course, I've envisioned us married and raising a family but...," her brow furrows in consternation, "why are you bringing this up now, right after you've just defeated Voldemort?" Her voice is full of compassion but also the lecturing tone of common sense that Harry has grown so accustomed to over the years. "Harry, you've just defeated one of the darkest wizards of all time, there's no need to be so impetuous with such an important decision." She places her hand on his arm and affirms soothingly, "We have all the time in the world now, Harry. For the first time in your life, you don't have to worry about the future."

He surprises her with the response of any easy grin. "Hermione, I'm not going mental, I know exactly what I'm doing." He lifts her hand off of his arm and places a kiss in her palm. "After all of these years of postponing my future, I can actually start planning it because I finally have one!" His arm stretches out and his fingers entwine through her hair to tug her to him until their foreheads rest against each other. "That future lies with you, Hermione, and I want to start living it right now." He lets go of her and shifts position until he's kneeling before her and clears his throat nervously. "So...Hermione Granger...knowing all you do about me and how much I love you," his gaze reflecting all of the love that he has for her, "will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Within moments, his vision is filled with a mass of curls as she throws herself into his arms with an exhuberant squeal of, "Yes, yes, yes!" while crushing him as tightly as any Basilisk ever could.

Harry laughs while he squeezes her back. "So I take it that's a yes, then?"

She draws back and rolls her eyes at him. "Honestly, Harry, how could you possibly think that I would say no?"

"Well, there was always a chance," he hedges playfully. "After all, you would be related to the Dursleys once we were married."

Hermione's eyes widen in alarm and she starts to pull away from him. "I forgot about that," she mock despairs as she tries not to laugh. "Never mind then," she abruptly dismisses while attempting to push him away.

"Oh, no you don't!" orders Harry as he tightens his hold on her. "You've already accepted, there's no wriggling out of it now!"

"Is that so?" she teases haughtily while moving her head side to side when he tries to capture her lips for a kiss.

"Yes, that's so," he insists triumphantly as he grabs her face between both of his hands and kisses her soundly. "You see that's the thing about being a seeker," he remarks smugly as he pulls away from her, "when we go after what we want, there's no chance of escape."

Hermione releases a snort of laughter at Harry for bringing up quidditch at a time like this. "Seeker skills, hmmmm? I guess that explains why you always thought that I was such a great catch!"

Harry groans in response but then has to chuckle when he sees her looking entirely too pleased with herself. "Hermione, that was really awful, I -" he ends abruptly when she leans forward and kisses him unexpectedly.

When they finally manage to pull away from each other, Hermione snuggles against him and whispers, "See? You're not the only one who knows when not to let a good thing go."

Harry grins widely, never happier than he is at this moment. "Good to know," he mumbles in a rush before drawing her to him for another kiss.

*******End of Flashback*******

Back in the present, Hermione's mind sifts through a few more memories from even further back into their past.

The beginning of their first year didn't start out as happily as she had hoped for, her new beginning almost ending with a mountain troll in the girls bathroom. However, it did become all that she had dreamed of and more after she became friends with Harry and Ron. She remembers how Harry had listened to her, actually listened to her, and trusted her enough to follow her advice. Nobody except her parents had ever truly listened to her before, that had meant so much to her.

When she had been petrified in second year, he had visited her every day and brought her flowers. Madam Pomfrey had told her all about it. Harry always laughs at that, at how with everything that went on that year that it's the flowers that she goes on about, but even back then it was always the things that seemed so little to others that always touched her heart the most.

Their third year had not been easy on either of them, his thinking that Sirius had murdered his parents and her estrangement with Harry and Ron. Eventually everything sorted itself and they were all friends again but whenever she reflects on that year, she immediately flashes to their rescue of Sirius. She knew that Harry had went against every instinct that he had when they went back in time and he had to follow her instructions to save Sirius and Buckbeak while preserving time's laws, but he still did it. Once again, he had listened to her. He had trusted her that much.

Fourth year had brought so much danger. She had been so worried about him that year, perhaps even more than all of the others. And although it wasn't romantic, she had shown him more love and affection than she ever had before, and he had let her. She had cherished those moments the most, she remembers with a smile.

So many more adventures had followed until that night in the tent when everything changed and all for the better. And now here she was...standing at the altar and taking Harry's hand as they stood before their friends and family exchanging vows.

Their vows weren't the ordinary wizarding vows that one would make, or even the muggle ones, merely promises that came straight from their hearts. The words were simple, they spoke of love, acceptance and at the insistence of both of them, faith.

A few guests had found it odd that the couple had decided to forego traditional vows from either their magical or muggle heritages but those who knew them best understood perfectly. The words that Harry and Hermione spoke to each other reflected and honored everything that they meant to each other and everything that they had ever done for each other. To those who had known them since they had entered the magical world, it seemed that Harry and Hermione had been pledging these vows to each other for the majority of their lives.

And then the ceremony finishes, over almost as quickly as it had begun, and applause and cheers of joy ring out and fill the air while Harry and Hermione Potter share their first kiss as man and wife.

The reception immediately follows and food, drink and merriment are found in abundance along with several bouts of happy tears and crushing hugs from Molly Weasley. The dancing carries on throughout the night, as does the reminiscing of tales old and new, and there's lots of laughter. Even when Ron gives his best man toast and jokes how Harry was her Chosen One and that Hermione had bookwormed her way into his heart.

Hours pass and the guests begin to apparate home until only the closest of family members remain to watch the newlyweds as Hermione accepts Harry's proffered hand for one last dance.

"This has been the perfect day," murmurs Hermione dreamily, her cheek pressed against his chest.

"Yes, it has," he agrees happily while dropping a kiss atop her head. He draws back to waggle his eyebrows at her. "And soon it will be the perfect night!"

"Harry, behave!" she chastises in a scandalized whisper before casting a sly glance around them and adding, "At least for another hour."

He grins back at her and they continue to glide across the dance floor in quiet contentment until Hermione inquires, "So, have you made a decision yet?" His only response is to stare at her quizically. She rolls her eyes in exasperation. "Harry! Are you going to accept Kingsley's offer for the junior auror job at the Ministry or become the Chudley Cannon's newest seeker?"

Harry tuts in mock displeasure and sighs. "Hermione Potter, I am so disappointed in you. How many times have I told you to stop worrying about the future and to just start living it?"

Hermione starts to retort but thinks better of it and instead huffs, "Fine, but I'm becoming awfully tired of dodging questions about what the Boy Who Lived is going to do next."

"Well, that's an easy answer," he states smoothly as he twirls her away from him and then back into his arms. "I'm going to do exactly what I have intended to do since the moment that you agreed to marry me."

"And what's that?" she asks with a touch of breathlessness after he quickly dips her and pulls her back up flush against him.

He looks down at her, his gaze radiating pure happiness, and he flashes a warm smile and quips, "Simple, the Boy Who Lived is going to become the Boy Who Lived Happily Ever After!"

Hermione laughs in response to this declaration and holding each other, they continue to dance for the next hour. However, Harry did get the last laugh after all as he did live happily ever after...and so did she.

THE END