Epilogue – An end and a beginning

People were talking, laughing and shouting at each other, and the volume in the Great Hall was deafening. The end-of-year feast was in full swing, and outside was a tentative, mild summer. Hermione had finished all her exams, and she actually felt content with how she did. Nervous, of course, but the extra studying this year had worked off. Draco felt pretty good about his too, even if he, of course, couldn't be sure.

They had survived the period when people still reacted on their relationship, even if there had been a fair share of mean comments and even the odd jinx or spell thrown their way. But Harry showing so clearly that he supported them had probably been a reason that it went so smooth.

The mentor job had continued more or less as usual. The headmistress had suggested that Hermione couldn't do it alone the rest of the year. She wouldn't appoint a new mentor, but maybe Hermione had a friend that could help her out? Not as a teacher, just being there to support and share their knowledge. That Malfoy boy for example seemed clever enough. Not that he would be a teacher or even close to it in the school's eyes, he would just be a volunteer helping fellow students in need. It worked out well.

But now it was all over, and a long summer stretched in front of her. She longed to spend at least some of it with Draco, but she dreaded it too. How to carry that out practically? Take Draco with her to her childhood, Muggle home? Or even worse, follow him to Malfoy Manor? If she never saw that house again it would still be too many times. The Manor contained the next problem, Narcissa Malfoy. She had to coexist with her, but she wasn't sure how to. It was her boyfriend's mother after all, they had to be able to at least greet each other. But just because Draco had changed doesn't mean his mother had, and truthfully, Mrs. Malfoy scared her.

She turned her head and looked at her friends. Harry was the same as ever, loyal, strong, sometimes happy and sometimes depressed. He seemed to stick to what he said the day Draco came back from trial, that he wanted to give him a chance. So he didn't avoid her when she was in Draco's company, and even talked to Draco himself. Mostly about trivial things, such as Quidditch and homework, but he obviously tried. And it had great effects, not only on Draco but on the people around him too. She could almost see them think 'If Harry Potter spends time with him, maybe he isn't that bad after all.'

Ginny had grown accustomed to their relationship fast, and was now more or less back to normal. She still could get that displeased expression when the subject Draco came up, and she preferred not to be in his company, but she seemed to have mostly accepted that Hermione was committed to him, and the relationship.

Her brother, on the other hand, was a bit harder. It was true though that he had softened up a lot, and was now talking to Hermione again. Not much, and not often, but at least he did it. Draco seemed to have been correct in his suggestion that Ron hated him though, he still looked like he wanted to fight as soon as Draco was around. The overall agreement was to not keep those two together if not necessary. She had to admit, her relation to Ron would never be the same again, but there hadn't been any other choices.

She had chosen to have Draco in her life instead. She felt how a smile slowly spread over her face, and she found his well-known figure at the Slytherin table. He was talking with Parkinson as usual, but she didn't even felt any jealousy today. Let Parkinson have a day with him now, the rest of them would be hers. Because what they had was too right, too real to be torn apart by a silly summer, scary mothers or not. Draco had told her that there wasn't much he wouldn't do for her, and she suspected that the feeling was mutual.

Right now she had it all. Education, friendship, love. School was over, and the real life was waiting. Her new life. She knew that Harry would be there for her, always. And Draco... She had a feeling that he was there to stay too. Next to her.

o

Here ends Next to You, but Hermione and her friends returns in the sequel The Brightening Future is Ours, which also will be published here in a not too far future. Thank you very much for reading, I hope you've had a good time!