A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. My life's been a bit hectic with summer classes ending and the Fall semester starting soon. And on top of that, I have TWO auditions this weekend. Send me some good vibes in hopes that I don't overexhaust (is that a word?) myself.

Thank you for all your kind words and patience. I hope this is worth the wait.

Tallyho!

Chapter 21:

February 2000

Hermione was snuggled close to Harry in their bed, Crookshanks at the foot of it, purring away happily, while Harry went over his lesson plan for the coming week. At Hermione's happy sigh, he looked down at her and smiled, brushing some curls behind her ear. She looked so peaceful and happy as she slept, curled up next to him; he never wanted the moment to end. He wanted every night to be like this and every morning, he wanted to wake up next to her and come home to her humming to herself in the kitchen; he wanted all of her for the rest of his life.

And in that moment, he decided he'd never let her go.

As soon as Hermione left for work the next morning, Harry apparated to the Granger's house. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and knocked on the front door. Liz opened up the door and furrowed her brows. "Harry? What are you doing here? Not that it's not a pleasure to see you, it is; I'm just a bit confused."

Harry gave her a small smile and shrugged. "I was wondering if I could talk to you and Josh about something."

"Of course," Liz answered, opening up the door further for him so Harry could come inside and led him to her and Josh's home office. "Josh, Harry's here."

"Harry?" Josh said, looking up from the mail he was organizing. He smiled when he saw his daughter's boyfriend walk into the room. "Hello, Harry; this is quite a surprise."

"I hope I'm not coming at a bad time," Harry said, sitting down.

Liz shook her head. "Not at all. What is it you wanted to talk to us about?" she said, sitting on the arm of Josh's chair.

Harry took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair. "Sorry; I'm trying to find the right way to say this. This isn't exactly something that's taught in school." He swallowed and looked Hermione's parents in the eyes. "I would like your permission to ask for Hermione's hand in marriage. Or your blessing- whichever is the more appropriate term."

Liz's face immediately lit up as she grinned while Josh did his best to remain stoic, although a small smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

"Yes, absolutely," Liz answered.

Josh looked to his wife, surprised. "What? That's it? I don't get a say in this?"

Liz looked to her husband and raised an eyebrow. "Would your answer be any different?"

"Well, no but-"

"Then it's settled;" she looked back to Harry, "Harry, it would be an honor to have you join our family."

Josh rolled his eyes and stood to shake Harry's hand. "You see how much say I get around here; be prepared: that'll be the rest of your life."

Harry laughed and nodded. "I think I can handle it."

"Good man," Josh smiled. "Take care of my baby girl, Harry."

"Yes, sir," Harry replied before being enveloped in a hug by Liz. He hugged her back, smiling like a fool.

Harry wandered his vault, looking amongst the various jewelry items that covered the floor and shelves. After making amends with the goblins for destroying the bank during the war, Harry combined all the accounts he had- Black, Potter, and even some of what Dumbledore left him- into one large vault, making it so that everything was in one location.

In doing so, he found that both the Potter and Black families kept a lot of old jewelry around, most likely for posterity's sake. Fortunately for Harry, that made ring shopping a lot easier when he could just pick something that once belonged to his family. He liked the idea of giving Hermione a ring that once belonged to someone in his family. It made it seem more personal; like he was giving her a part of himself.

"Mr. Potter, while you're here, I was wondering if I may bring your attention to some documents we found pertaining to your inheritance," the goblin Ragnok said, entering the vault.

Harry looked up from the ring he had been inspecting and nodded. "Yes, of course." Harry grabbed the small array of rings he found in the Potter vault and pocketed them, intending to choose from them later. He followed Ragnok out of the vault chambers and back to the main floor into a small office off the lobby. Ragnok closed the door and laid some files out on the table for Harry to read. "As you have hired me to be your financial advisor, I took it upon myself to triple check your records and finances to assure that everything is in it's rightful place," Ragnok said.

"And is it?" Harry asked, scanning through the documents.

"Yes, almost all of it is; except a weird anomaly that only appeared this morning." Ragnok flipped the page Harry was looking at and shuffled through the pages until he found what he was looking for. "Until this morning, this information had never appeared anywhere else in the files."

"Is that a bad thing?" Harry asked, getting nervous.

Ragnok shook his head. "No; it's rare but not something that we haven't seen before. Usually, when information like that shows up randomly in files, it means that a charm has been lifted and the information that was blocked under that charm can now be accessed. Why this charm was lifted now, I'm afraid I don't have the answers. I can only assume that the charm was placed in the first place for your protection and, now that it has lifted, you have access to everything that charm was hiding."

Harry looked back down to the file and read what was in front of him, his eyes widening with every word. He looked back to Ragnok, stuttering as he tried to speak. "Ragnok, this can't be right. I can't own all of this."

Ragnok nodded. "You do; everything that lies in that file belongs to you as you are the only living Potter heir; for now, at least." Ragnok waved his hand and a key appeared in his hand. "This is the key. As of this moment, it's yours, now and forever. Congratulations."

Harry stood in front of the grand manor, and swallowed. The manor was his, the grounds were his, the name was his; all of this belonged to him. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Steeling his nerves, he unlocked the front door with the key Ragnok gave him and entered the grand house. The place was massive and looked like something out of a Jane Austen novel. The foyer was grand in scale, not to mention the staircase that looked like someone was about to have their Cinderella moment any second. As Harry looked around the entry, a small pop sounded next to him and he jumped as he found a small house elf- wearing a bright yellow apron- looking at him with large blue eyes. "Er, hello," Harry said.

The elf grinned. "Hello, Mr. Potter. I am Dahlia, the head elf here at Potter Manor. Welcome home, sir."

"I have house elves?" he asked, already fearing Hermione's reaction when he told her.

Dahlia nodded happily. "Yes sir; we have served the Potter house for many generations. After Master James' and Mistress Lily's deaths, we feared we'd never be able to properly serve the house of Potter again; but here we are."

"Er, where exactly is here? And why am I only finding out about all this now?"

"You're in Potter Manor, of course! Your family's ancient and noble home. As for why you are here, well, I don't think I am the best elf to answer that question. There is someone who can answer it for you, however. Come, come. I'll show you!"

Dahlia happily wandered out of the foyer and Harry had no choice but to follow her. She gave him a small tour as she led him through the house. "This is the piano room. Mistress Euphemia used to play the piano and sing all the time! The halls of this grand house were once filled with such beautiful music; sadly, they have been quiet for some time since her passing."

"Euphemia; that's my grandmother, right?"

Dahlia nodded. "Yes sir. Quite a wonderful woman, she was. All of us elves miss her dearly." Dahlia was silent for a moment and Harry felt a certain need to comfort her but didn't get the chance as she perked up once they reached a large room that looked like a study of sorts. There was a large desk in the center of the room and all around it were shelves of books and scrolls. In the far corner was a large fireplace that looked like it could fit the entire Weasley family in it. But it wasn't the fireplace that caught Harry's eye; it was the grand portrait above that made his heart swell. In the portrait, James and Lily Potter stood tall and proud, dressed in elegant robes and smiling down at him.

Harry walked to the painting in a daze, unaware that Dahlia had quietly left the room to leave her master alone with his deceased parents. "Mum?" Harry said. "Dad?"

"Hello, Harry," Lily said, her smile growing. James' smile also grew as he looked at his son.

Harry could feel tears well up in his eyes. "I- I don't understand. W- what is this place? H- how can you be here?"

"This was my childhood home," James answered. "This would have been where you would have grown up, had it not been for the war. As for our painting, the elves had it made after our deaths so we could always reside in the Potter home; it was the only thing they could do so we would not be forgotten."

"I'd never forget you," Harry said. "But I don't understand. Why am I only finding out about this now?"

It was Lily's turn to speak. "When we went into hiding in Godric's Hollow, we wanted to keep this place safe, if not for us to return to it than at least for you. There's also many priceless artifacts in this house; the last thing we wanted was Death Eaters or Voldemort to come hunting it down and tearing the place apart as they looked for artifacts they could use for dark purposes. We placed a charm over the house and on any documents that pertained to it; to anyone who came by the place, they would suddenly feel a strong need to turn around and not look back. As for the documents, they would just be hidden in plain sight; no matter who looked at them, they'd only see what they wanted to see: finances, wills, etc. We agreed that if we did not live, we wanted you to have everything, including the Potter home; except at the time we placed the charm on the house and documents, it shouldn't have lifted until your twenty-first birthday but it seems the charm has lifted early. That might be a fault on our part."

"And by our part, she means mine since I was the one who cast the charm," James said, looking to his wife nervously. "Sorry, Lily."

Lily rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her son. "I suppose it doesn't matter now; the important thing is that you're home now."

Harry wiped away a few tears and sniffed. "I- sorry; this is a lot to take in. H- how come the place isn't falling apart or is covered in layers and layers of dust?" he asked, trying to distract himself from the overload of information he was getting.

"We told the elves to keep the place in good shape during our absence. In the case of our deaths, and yours, they'd automatically be released from their duties but until that day, they serve the House of Potter happily," James replied.

"I wanted them to watch over you," Lily continued, "but we decided against it, thinking if anything happened to us, you'd be in Sirius' good hands. So much for that plan," she muttered.

James squeezed her shoulder and shrugged. "We can't focus on that; the important thing is that you're home now. Assuming you'd like to stay here, of course."

"I- I don't know what I think right now. This is more than I anticipated," Harry replied, still dazed.

"Take your time, Harry. We'll understand if you don't want any of this; but I hope that you'll at least consider it," James said.

"A manor?!" Hermione exclaimed. "You have a manor?!"

He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. "Yeah; and it looks like something right out of a Jane Austen novel complete with house elves and everything."

Hermione bristled. "House elves?"

"They've served the Potter family for centuries, Hermione. I even asked the head elf if they'd ever been offered freedom or if they'd prefer it. She was adamant that she and the other elves stay at the manor until their dying day. It's more a matter of loyalty rather than a matter of obligation."

Hermione sighed, choosing to fight that battle later. She sat down next to him on the sofa and rested her hand on his back. "So, now what?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know; is the right thing to move into the house and live there full time or do I sell it and everything in it?"

"Why would you sell it?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I don't know; just seemed like an available option, I guess." He looked to Hermione. "What would you do?"

She took a deep breath. "I can't tell you what I'd do because I don't know; but I do know this: Harry, since you were a child, you've wanted a place to belong and to call home. Hogwarts was the beginning of that but it wasn't everything; you still had to return to the Dursley's every summer and while you did have the Weasleys, you've always felt like the odd one out, even with your surrogate family." She took his hand in hers and squeezed. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but I think this is exactly what you want; you're just scared to take it because you're worried you'll lose it. And I understand that. But you don't have anything to fear anymore; you don't have anymore temporary homes, no more cupboards under the stairs, no more feeling lost in the world. You'd finally have a home; a real home. One that belonged to your parents and your grandparents and one that you can start fresh in. You could start the next generation of Potters in that house and be proud knowing it would stand another several hundred years. I think what you've been waiting your whole life for has finally been placed in your lap. I can't tell you what to do, Harry; it's your choice. But I don't think this is something you should give up."

He nodded and squeezed her hand. "Just promise me something, no matter my decision on the matter."

"Anything," she promised.

"Stay with me."

She caressed his face with her free hand and kissed his lips lightly. "Always," she whispered.

Late February 2000

"Okay, so we've narrowed it down to three. Now we just have to pick the right one," Val said, looking at the three rings lying on the counter. Harry watched with fascination as Val and Michel studied the rings he had laid out for them with such detail, he wasn't sure he hadn't taken the rings to jewelry experts.

"The ruby is charming and fitting for part of Hermione's personality but it just doesn't strike me as an engagement ring," Michel said. "It feels too Christmas-y."

"Hm, I think you're right," Val said, moving the ring aside. "So that leaves the the simple diamond or the one with sapphires. Harry, come here." Harry did as we was told and stood between his friends. "This final decision needs to be up to you. It is going to stay on her finger for the rest of her life so you should be the one to decide."

Harry looked at the rings and hummed in thought. One was a simple gold band with a diamond sitting right in the middle; simple, yet classy, as Val had said. The other was a thick white gold band with a square diamond in the middle and the band had diamonds and sapphires alternating around it; it was this one that Harry reached for. Both Val and Michel smiled at Harry's choice and nodded. "Good choice, Harry," Michel said.

Harry smiled. "Ragnok said it belonged to both my grandmother and my mother."

Val squeezed Harry's shoulder. "That is a very good choice, then."

March 2000

Hermione,

Put this on then apparate to this location at 7. I have a surprise for you.

I love you.

Harry.

Hermione chuckled and put the note down, looking at the clock. It was just after five; noting how much time she had to get ready, she jumped into the shower to rinse the day off. She'd had a patient throw up on her earlier in the day due to a hex gone bad. Although she was able to clean the vomit off herself and her patient, she could still smell the bile on her clothes for the rest of the day. On top of that, Healer Waters- who has started grooming her to take over his position once he retired in a few years time- gave her a huge stack of paperwork that she had to read to understand the ins and outs of running a hospital while she still had to file her own reports for the day and have them in no later than Monday (it was currently Friday). She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep but if Harry had something planned, she supposed she could go out for a bit before going to bed.

Once she was out of the shower and her hair was dried, she walked back into the bedroom to change into the dress Harry got for her. Once she was dressed and her hair had been managed into submission, she looked to the clock and saw it was only six forty-five. "Well, I suppose there's no harm in being early," she said, looking to the address on the note Harry left her. Checking her appearance one last time, she apparated out of the flat.

When she appeared at the location, she was confused as she was facing a large open space with trees all around her. "What the hell?" she thought out loud.

She did a one-eighty turn to try and figure out where she was but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a large house in front of her. As she walked towards the building, the trees began to fade and turned into an immaculate hedge arrangement lining a brick walkway. As she walked closer and closer to the building, she realized where she must have been: Potter Manor. Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves, she climbed the steps and moved to knock on the front door but it opened before she could do so. Hermione looked down to find a small house elf looking at her with large blue eyes and a grin on her face. It pleased her a little to find the elf wearing a salmon pink dress- even if the dress was too big on her.

"You must be Miss 'Mione. Come, come!" the little elf pulled Hermione into the house and took her cloak for her, hanging it on a nearby coat rack. "I am Dahlia, the head house elf here at Potter Manor. Should you need anything, just call me. Now come, I take you to Master Harry."

Master Harry? Hermione thought as Dahlia led her through the house. Hermione looked around the house as they walked and she couldn't help but gasp and the grandness of the rooms they walked through; when they passed a room with a large piano, Hermione nearly stopped in her tracks but Dahlia would not be delayed. "This way, Miss 'Mione," the elf said. Hermione followed reluctantly but stopped once again as they reached the back garden.

There were endless assortments of various flower bushes, vines, and blossom trees all around the garden with sparkling lights shining on all of them. In the middle of the garden was a small table lit up by candles and Harry, standing next to it, smiling. She returned his smile and walked towards him.

"You look beautiful," he said, kissing her lightly.

"Well, I have an excellent dresser," she replied.

He laughed and kissed her again but it was cut short by someone clearing their throat. The couple looked to the house elf who was smiling at them. "Dinner will be ready shortly, Master Harry. I'll have the elves bring the entrees out presently."

"Thank you, Dahlia; and, please, call me Harry."

"Yes, sir, Master Harry, sir!" She said, then disappeared with a 'pop.'

Harry sighed and shook his head. "That's something we'll have to work on."

"She's adorable," Hermione mused. "I wish she wasn't under servitude, though."

"Well, about that-" Harry began.

"You freed them?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening.

Harry shook his head. "Er, no. Dahlia wouldn't hear of that. I did manage to convince her to take payment and vacation, though."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

He nodded. "Really; they'll all get payment of three galleons a week- don't look at me like that; that was the most I could get them to take- as well as a week's vacation once a year."

"A week?!"

"It's all they would accept!" Harry said, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I offered them a month and they all nearly died at the idea of being off of work so long so we settled for a week." Hermione huffed in frustration and Harry ran his hands up and down her arms. "It's better than nothing, Hermione. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles."

She sighed and nodded in agreement. "At least you came to some form of a compromise," she said.

He smiled and kissed her lightly again before pulling out a chair for her and gesturing for her to sit. Once she was seated, he sat across from her and took her hands in his. "So, what's your opinion of this place so far?"

"It's bigger than I anticipated," she said.

He laughed and nodded. "Yeah, the size takes a bit of getting used to. But, according to Dahlia, this is one of the more modest manors in the pureblood community."

She raised an eyebrow. "If this is modest, I'd hate to see extravagant." He nodded in agreement. "So, I take it by you negotiating with the elves, you've made your decision, then?" she asked.

He sighed and nodded. "I have; but only on the condition that you'll come with me."

She didn't hesitate to answer. "You know I'll go anywhere with you; even if it is a massive house big enough to house all the Weasleys in their own rooms and then some."

He smiled. "We'll find a way to make it work."

She returned his smile and squeezed his hand. Just then, Dahlia returned with several other elves in tow, holding platters. "Dinner is served," she said, smiling. The other elves opened up the platters to reveal beautiful plates full of various entrees and placed them in front of the couple while Dahlia filled the wine glasses before leaving the couple to their own devices. As they dug into dinner, Hermione shared with Harry the tale of her long and stressful day.

"God," Harry said, "now I feel kinda bad bringing you all the way out here."

She laughed and shook her head. "No, don't. This was just what I needed: a night with you and to just relax from my day. This was very thoughtful of you, Harry; thank you." He smiled and kissed the back of the hand that he was holding. "But, if I may ask," Hermione continued, "what's with the big romantic gesture? Did you really do all this just to show me the manor?"

He bit his lip- a trait he picked up from her- and shook his head. "Not exactly; I have ulterior motives, you see."

"Oh, really?" she said. "And what would those be?"

Harry pulled a small box out of his pocket and placed it in front of her. "Marry me?"

Hermione's eyes widened at Harry's question and she looked down at the small velvet box. With shaky hands, she opened it to find the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen. "H- Harry, I-"

"It doesn't have to be anytime soon," he quickly said. "It doesn't even have to be next year; if you wanted, we could even have a long engagement. I just- I want the world to know that you're mine and will be forever. I want to wake up next to you everyday and have kids with you, and I want to grow old with you, and never live another day without you. So, will you marry me?"

Hermione was crying now and wasn't sure she could answer him without her voice cracking so she simply nodded. Harry grinned and jumped out of his chair, slid the ring onto her finger, and pulled her into a tight hug as they both cried tears of joy. When she could finally get herself to speak, she squeaked out a quiet "Yes" before peppering him with kisses.

P.S. Hermione's ring and Potter manor are on the WCN Pinterest board. Link is on my profile.

Huge thank you to my beta Almostgalen!

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