A/N: Alright you guys, I have some very exciting news: after two weeks of stressing about whether or not I'd need to take an extra semester to graduate, my university pulled through and moved a class that I need to graduate to a different time. Therefore, *drumroll* I'M GRADUATING NEXT SPRING! I'm so excited because I will be graduating within four years and NO STUDENT LOANS! I seriously might cry, I'm so happy! i just had to share that exciting news with you guys!

Anyway, thank you guys for all your kind reviews. I'm sorry I haven't been responding to them, school's been taking up all my time and by the time I get home every night I'm too exhausted to even open up my computer. Once the semester's over, it should be better. Much love to you guys!

Also, another timeline update: this takes place between late September/early-October.

Tallyho!

Chapter 20: Home

"Harry, where are you taking me?"

"It's a secret!" He says. "You'll find out soon, I promise."

I roll my blindfolded eyes and let him lead me through God knows what. We're on a road, that much I know, and there's the smell of flowers… I think it's lavender and roses and… lilac?

"Okay, we're here," Harry says, stopping.

"Where's 'here?'" I ask.

Harry lifts the blindfold and I gasp in surprise. Right in front of us it the most beautiful little cottage I have ever seen. It's a two-story, all brick with a little gate in front of the house and there's flowers that line the walkway to the front door.

"Harry… w- what is this place?" I ask in awe.

He smiles sheepishly. "It's mine."

I look at him with my brows furrowed in confusion. "Yours? I- I don't understand."

"I just bought it. I'll explain inside; would you like a tour?"

I nod, not sure I have the proper words right now. He takes my hand in his and leads me inside the cottage. Once we walk through the threshold, I'm once again left speechless. The door opens into a large living room with lots of natural light coming in from the windows. Did I mention that it's fully furnished?

To the left of the living room is a small hallway with a staircase. We climb it and see three bedrooms and then the master (also furnished). As we return downstairs and tour the kitchen and dining room, Harry explains why he bought the house.

"When you mentioned moving to a bigger place, I started to look around for houses for sale and when I saw the advertisement for this house, I figured I'd just take a look around for the hell of it. I fell in love with it the second I walked in the door and I wanted to bring you back to take a look but you were at a meeting with Leo and the realtor said this place wasn't going to last very long so I bought it on the spot." He's rubbing the back of his neck nervously and avoiding eye contact with me.

"I know I should have talked about it with you first but I didn't want to lose this place. It just seemed so perfect and I acted impulsively and I-" he sighs and looks up at me, "I'm sorry. Are you mad?"

I smile at him and wrap my arms around his waist. "While I do wish that you had consulted me first, I'm going to let it slide because I know you had good intentions. And I do love this house, Harry. It's perfect."

He smiles, relieved and unwraps my arms from his waist but continues to hold my hand. "I haven't even shown you the best part yet; come on!" He leads me to a set of double doors that are just off the living room. He grins at me and pushes the doors open and I feel my jaw drop the ground.

Inside, is a completely stocked library with wall to wall shelves, a seating area on one side of the room by two french doors that lead to the back garden, a fireplace on the other side of the room and a desk in the center. I think I just died and went to heaven.

"Oh, Harry, had you lost this house, I think I might have killed you," I say, half joking.

Harry chuckles. "I figured. There's something for you on the desk by the way."

I wander over to the desk and furrow my brows at the wrapped package on it. I unwrap it and nearly drop what's inside: it's my book. It's in physical book form too! The cover is leather with the title etched on it in gold lettering.

"It came in this morning while you were out with Tina and Newt," Harry explains. "I think there's a letter in there too."

I open the cover and, sure enough, I find a letter in the book; it's from Leo.

Hermione,

Great news! The book got bumped up in production due to another book getting pulled for more editing. This is great because now you're book is going to be out before Christmas! The new release date we're looking at is around early December (if I can pull some strings, it might be late November but don't take my word on that). I'll keep you updated if anything else changes.

Here's the first copy of the book. I thought you'd like to have it.

This book is gonna be huge, Hermione. Be ready for the wave of readers you'll most likely get at your bookstore. Everyone will want this book and will want to get a look at you. It may be annoying for a while but I know you're going to change lives with this amazing story of yours.

Owl me if you have any questions. See you soon, Hermione.

Kindest regards,

Leo Montgomery.

My heart is pounding as I finish reading the letter. This is happening; it's really happening! My book is going to be published in less than a few months. Smiling, I turn around to Harry, only to find him down on one knee, holding a small box in his hand.

Holy shit.

"Hermione, I- I'm not very good at speeches. And I had one planned for this but nothing ever felt right so I'm just going to try and wing my way through this. Hermione, ever since we were eleven years old and Ron and I saved you from that troll, you've been my best friend. You've saved my arse so many times, I've lost count and no matter what stupid decision I made, you never left; you may not have approved, but you always stood by my side.

"This past year, I've gotten to see a different side of you; the side that not only let me into your bed but into your heart. You let me love you as more than a best friend and I promise, for the rest of my life, I will love you as my best friend, my lover, and, hopefully, my wife with everything I have in me."

I have tears running down my face as he opens the box and pulls out a beautiful diamond ring. "Hermione Jean Cordelia Granger Scamander, will you marry me?"

I don't hesitate to answer. "Yes."

P.S. Hermione's ring and the cottage is on the BOL Pinterest board.

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