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Here it is—the epilogue. It's not long.

Epilogue: Stories For Our Grandchildren

Draco tapped his foot impatiently, his eyes straying to the watch on his left hand once again. He needn't have though. At that exact moment, the large pendulum hanging at the front of King's Cross Station swung to the side, triggering the loud sound that followed. It signalled the beginning of a new hour.

6 o'clock, Draco thought, glancing at the bouquet of daisies sitting beside him. He imagined her laughing at it, then thanking him for remembering her favourite flowers.

There weren't a lot of people there. Nothing like how it was on platform 9 and ¾. His eyes caught site of a few friends stumbling through the barrier, laughing.

Suddenly, a loud whistle startled him. Draco felt himself smile, and he swept the bangs off his face as he pushed to a stand. He watched the train roll its way into the platform as his anxiety built up. He turned around and bent down to pick up the flowers.

Finally, the train pulled to a stop.

Draco watched the line of people filing off the train, waiting to see the familiar girl he had come to love so fully.

Hermione, Hermione, where are you? he thought, as he searched the crowd.

Time seemed to stretch as he watched each person seem to find their awaiting family, breaking out into huge smiles as they headed for the barriers one again.

Where are you?

He dropped his hand, holding the flowers to his side as he eased someone aside with his other hand. He pushed his way through, and began combing the platform looking for her.

Finally, he spotted the curly brown hair. He all but ran to her, grabbing hold of her hand, spinning her around.

"Hermione," he began. Then stopped. "Oh, I'm sorry."

The girl shook her head with a smile. "It's alright." She turned back around to face her friends, leaving Draco to wonder...where was Hermione?

Soon enough, Draco was the only one standing at the empty platform. And he was sure it was empty too. He had walked back and forth along the length of the area enough times. He slowly walked back to the bench in somewhat of a daze, tossing the flowers down gently before he took a seat. As he sat and kicked his shoes forward, the echo resounded loudly throughout the room.

He sighed loudly, hearing himself through the echo, and ran his hands through his hair. He shook his head, and lay back against the back of the bench, closing his eyes.

"Sir," he heard a voice say gruffly, "there ain't no train coming this way no more." It seemed like a rough man trying to speak politely. Draco opened his eyes slowly.

"I'm waiting for someone," he said simply.

"A girl I suppose," the man returned. Draco nodded, tilting his head towards the flowers.

"Well mister, I just thought I'd let you know. Last train came by an hour ago. She ain't gonna be comin"."

Draco nodded. "I think I'll wait anyways. Do you know when the next train comes?"

"No sir."

After the man saw that Draco had no intention to leave, he chuckled. "Young love," the man murmured wisely with a smile, and for a moment, Draco thought the voice sounded oddly similar to his old headmasters'. By the time he whipped his head around though, the man was gone. Draco chuckled. He was getting too tired, imagining things.

He stretched out and made himself comfortable, loosening his tie and taking off his suit jacket.

He had said he would wait for her, and he would. She would come, he knew.

He yawned, shifting himself into a more comfortable situation all the while minding the bouquet of flowers.

Minutes passed, turning easily into hours. Draco ran a hand over his face trying to wipe the sleep off him. He rolled his neck in a circle, hearing the relieving tired cracks and tried to stifle another yawn.

And as sleep began to overtake him, it amazed him that although he seriously wondered where she was and why she wasn't there, he knew that she would be there the next day. He would see her again, smiling at him, teasing him, laughing with him and just being with him. How he knew, he couldn't tell you. Thinking about her made him smile.

He laid himself flat on the bench, tucking his jacket under his head as a pillow, keeping the flowers underneath the bench for protection and closed his eyes, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

Hermione stepped off the train, turning around afterwards to lift her bags off. She eased her trunks onto the ground and moved to the side, leaning on her toes immediately to spot the unique head of platinum blonde hair.

"Keep in touch Hermione!" James called as he stepped onto the platform after her, spotting his parents.

"What?" Hermione returned, still looking around. "Oh, definitely James," she smiled, turning to give him a brief hug. "Hey, have you seen Draco?" The two men had met over one of her breaks, and had gotten along surprisingly well too.

James shook his head and looked around for her.

"Alright then..." Hermione shrugged and smiled. "Well I guess this is it for now."

He nodded. "I'll see you soon!" James called back as he wheeled his trunk towards his family while Hermione pulled her own trunk forwards through the crowd.

Systematically, she worked her way from the back of the platform towards the front, yawning despite the fact that it was well into the morning.

"Whoa!" she called, narrowly avoiding a child sprinting across her path. She veered to the right, and stopped herself barely in time before bumping into a man sleeping on the bench.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Sleeping? Seriously? In noise like this? He didn't look too scruffy—he dressed rather nicely actually, so Hermione wasn't really sure what he was doing there. She couldn't actually see his face, which was hidden by his coat.

"He been here all night," a gruffy voice said, "waiting for a lady he said. You the lady?"

Hermione looked at the old man holding the broom from the corner of her eyes. "I don't think so sir."

The man shrugged. "I ain't no sir. Anyways, I hope she comes," he murmured before wandering off.

She shook her head in disbelief and was about to continue her search for Draco when something caught her eye. It was a flash of yellow.

She narrowed her eyes and leaned down, carefully extracting the coat from the man's face. The man twitched, and Hermione laughed. She let go of her trunks and bit her lip, and idea coming to mind.

"Oh, Draco dear," she said from above, "Baby!" She stifled a laugh and brought her hands to his cheeks, pinching them lightly.

Draco's eyes flew open. "Mother!" he responded automatically, "She's coming back I swear I swear..."

Hermione laughed out loud, holding out her hands for Draco to grab as he balanced himself to keep from falling because of his abrupt shift in posture. She wrapped her fingers around his and pulled him up.

"What are you doing sleeping here?" she said, still laughing as she shook her head.

Draco pretended to be upset, but as Hermione laughed even harder, he broke out into a smile as well. "Waiting for you," he said, rolling his eyes as Hermione beamed. "Which reminds me..." He bend down and picked up the bouquet of flowers, frowning as he looked at it.

"Wilted flowers," mused Hermione, "every girl's dreams." But she took them gratefully anyways, and held them protectively in front of her.

"Well they weren't wilted yesterday," Draco explained.

"I know," Hermione interrupted.

"Which reminds me again," Draco frowned. "Where were you last night? I was here and the train came but you weren't on it. I was scared you weren't coming."

Hermione narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger at him. "No you weren't."

Draco laughed and raised his hands in mock defeat, pulling her down to take a seat with him. "No, but I was worried. And my poor flowers suffered because of it. Along with my back."

Hermione leaned into him, grinning wickedly. "And what if I promise a massage for you later...tonight?"

Draco smirked. "Then I guess I could deal with it."

Hermione laughed. "Okay, okay, so what's this about coming yesterday."

"In your letter you said you'd be back..."

"Yes, but the day before my last exam got rescheduled. I was writing a letter to Blaise at that time, so I told him to tell you I'd be coming on the next train the next morning. Didn't he mention it to you?"

Draco shook his head. "No..."

"So let me get this straight." Hermione felt the corners of her lips twitch. "You came here at 6, found that I wasn't here, and decided to..."

"...sit here like a fool waiting for you, spending the night at a train station sleeping on a bench? Yes, pretty much."

Hermione shook her head and snuck her arms around him, burying herself into him. A smile tugging at her mouth. "Aw, you're so cute."

"Cute wasn't exactly what I was looking for. Cute..makes me sound...like such a pansy—"

"Like such a cutie?" Hermione said looking up at him through her lashes, blinking prettily.

Draco sighed. "Yes, yes, whatever you say. I've gone mad."

"Sometimes..." Hermione laughed," like when you decide to bunk on a bench, I think so too. In a good way though!"

Draco shook his head. He took her hands and unravelled them from around him and wrapped his own arms around her instead. "Well, as someone once said. There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness. You, Hermione, are my reason."

"Aw, you're my reason too Draco," she said snuggling into him. "And this just proves my point."

"What point?"

"That you're cute of course. Oh, and sort of sappy too. Who would have thought?"

Draco mocked a sigh. "What am I going to do with you?"

Hermione pretended to ponder. "How about...take me home, feed me lunch, and then love me forever and ever?" She smiled at him.

Draco rolled his eyes at her but helped her up nonetheless. "I'm in for it. But what about me?"

Hermione laughed. "I don't really have a house, and I have no money for food right now, but I can promise to love you forever and ever."

Draco hung his arm around her shoulders and picked up her trunk with the other hand. "I guess that'll do."

Hermione rested her head on his shoulders, and snuck her arm around his waist once again.

"So no more school?" he murmured.

"Well...there is this one course..it sounds pretty interesting and all..."

Draco groaned.

"Kidding!" Hermione laughed. "No more. Just you and me from now on."

"Good, 'cause I don't think I could take another night on the bench."

Hermione shrugged casually, loving the feeling of his arm around her shoulders. Although it was a little bit heavy. "Hey, look on the bright side...it's another story for our grandchildren one day." Hermione blushed even as the words left her mouth. She looked at him, worried. They had never really discussed...

"Grandchildren," he murmured, knowing that she was awaiting his reaction. He would never admit that the idea had crossed his mind a few times recently. Or maybe more than a few. He played out the seconds, looking at her through the corner of his eyes. She was nervous. Revenge was nice. "I like the idea of that," he whispered. He felt her sigh of relief. "Although Hermione," he turned to look at her seriously. "I think we have more than enough stories to last for our future grandchildren. Hey, there might even be some new ones for our great grandchildren."

Hermione chuckled. "What's so bad in that?"

"Nothing. Just promise me something Hermione?"

She noticed the sudden seriousness in his voice. "Okay..." she said slowly, worried. "Anything."

"Never speak the word grandchildren in front of my mother," he said gravely.

Hermione laughed out loud, and nudged Draco in the ribs but he only looked at her seriously.

"Fine, fine," she sighed. "I promise. Now back to the home, lunch and loving my forever thing? Let's get on that shall we?"

The End

Completed July 27, 2008

Short and sweet.

And that was truly...the end.

Aw. I love you guys. :)

THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT AND REVIEWS AND READS!

Some stats so I will remember FOREVER. (all of these are as of the completion date.)

Lowest # of reviews. 14. (and only ONCE at the beginning too! WOW!) My last story had a tops of like...40 something, and getting 20 was like a WOWOWOWOW for me. Which tells you how much of a thrill it was writing this story.

Highest(so far) 90.

Story Alerts(right now)444

Favs(right now) 300

Communities(right now)15

WOW. Thank you SO INCREDIBLY MUCH TO EACH ONE OF YOU.

Thanks!

Thanks for putting up with me all this way.

And one last time?:) Review?

Jodielove