So guys, epilogue aside, this is the final chapter! Enjoy.

Chapter Thirty Five

Post arrived from Hogwarts the next morning. Henry and I stood looking meaningfully at the owls which delivered them, then at the letters themselves as they lay on the table, and finally at each other. "Together?" he asked.

"Together" I agreed.

I looked at the envelope in my hand. Green ink, after the first letter only bad things ever arrived in envelopes addressed in green ink. I thought back to the last time I'd received a letter from Hogwarts, informing me I'd be Quidditch captain and catapulting me into an unending sea of trouble, which had driven me crazy and which I wouldn't change for all the sanity in the world. I could only hope this envelope contained equally as good news.

Unable to put it off any longer I dragged my nail across the top of the letter, severing an opening, across the table I saw Henry do the same. He was so pale he was almost green, his hands were shaking violently. He needed Os in everything if he wanted to secure his job at St Mungo's, and with so much riding on his success, it was no wonder he looked so nervous. However, for moment, I had my own results to worry about. Trying to control my breathing I slowly pulled the parchement from its containment. I closed my eyes, bringing the sheet up in front of my face. Then, with a deep breath, I opened my eyes.

There were no Ts. That was the first thing I noticed, and it was a relief. The catastrophe of my nightmares has, at least, not come to fruition. The more I looked I realised there were no Ds, no Ps, and, to my increasing astonishment, not even any As. A full page of Os and Es beamed up at me. I had secured Os for Charms, Flitwick would be thrilled, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, and, to my great surprise, Transfiguration. And had somehow managed to sneak Es for Astronomy and DADA, which, considering my exam performance, was much more than I had hoped for, and far from what I deserved. I looked up, happy and relieved.

Henry was smiling too, beaming would be a better word. He was grinning ear to ear, clutching the parchement in his fists, reading it again and again.

"Good news I take it?" I asked chirpily, pouring myself a glass of victory orange juice.

"The best." He told me, "I did it. I'm going to be a healer!"

He swept me into a giant bear hug, sending my glass flying and the orange juice spilling across the table. I didn't care, I hugged him back with equal enthusiasm, the pair of us laughing like maniacs.

My father came down soon afterwards, and he too was ecstatic with my results, congratulated Henry, and immediately sent an owl off to my grandparents. A short while later Flora appeared in the fireplace with news that she too had achieved all Os and Es and the ministry had confirmed her placement with them in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. She would be working there alongside Percy Weasley, she said, who had also apparently achieved excellent results, according to Penelope. We chatted for a while, until I left to give her and Henry some time alone together. I found myself whistling as I climbed the stairs back to my room. We'd done it. We had all survived seven years at Hogwarts, with all its bizarre happenings, and we had something amazing to show for it.

A few days later I found myself wandering, dejectedly, down Bond Street, with a sickeningly excited Flora. The mission was of course, wedding related. Flora had picked out her dress weeks ago, but there was still the issue of what the bridesmaids would wear, and I, despite my protestations, had been brought along as a consultant.

"What do you think of this one?" Flora asked, holding out what felt like the hundredth dress to me.

"It's alright" I said, for the hundredth time.

"Go try it on" I was sent, yet again, into the changing rooms to pull on yet another dress and to wander out again for Flora's appraisal.

"No" she said, "it's just not right. It needs something, you know, more…" she made a vague sort of gesture with her hands. I nodded obediently, having absolutely no idea what she was saying.

Until eventually, I did get it. Another hundred dresses later, and just as I felt my feet were about to give up and go on strike, we finally found a dress so perfect, that even I could understand what Flora was getting at. It just felt, right to wear, and the second I slipped it on I knew that this was the dress in which I needed to watch my friends get married in. This was an Oliver Wood fiasco surviving dress.

Fortunately, Flora seemed to agree, she got rather excited when I came out, clasping her hand to her mouth before running towards me and pulling me into a hug. She bought it on the spot, which was a relief because frankly, I wasn't sure I was going to make it to the next shop.

Later, sitting down for a well-deserved coffee, Flora decided, albeit apprehensively, to raise the Wood issue.

"So, I'm guessing Henry has told you who his best man is."

"He has" I said, giving nothing away.

"And you are?"

"Dealing with it."

"Look, I know it's difficult, but have you considered the possibility that maybe you might have, well, screwed this up a bit."

I had more than considered the possibility, I had full on accepted it as undeniable fact. But I didn't let on.

"What is done is done." I said, trying to avoid giving anything away, "whatever history, pleasant or unpleasant, has passed between Oliver Wood and myself, it is in the past. We have not communicated since our last…engagement, and I am perfectly contented to leave him as a fond, but closed, memory of Hogwarts."

"But Riza…"

"No more."
"But…"

"Please, with all the love in the world. Drop it."

Flora looked like she wanted to say more, but she simply shrugged and deftly guided the conversation in another direction. Leaving me to sit, and to nod, and to attempt to absolutely, completely, forget about Oliver Wood.

And then came the wedding. It happened on one of the most beautiful days of the year, which, I was pretty sure, was because even the weather did not dare risk the unspeakable wrath of Henry's mother, who frankly, was more terrifying than the basilisk when she wanted to be. However, now, as she swanned through the tent in which the reception was being held, she looked possibly serene. That was the odd thing about Henry and Flora's respective parents, they all seemed pretty cool with this whole marriage thing. I know that my father, if it had been me, would have never agreed to let me get married, much less pay for it. Maybe, like I had, they had just accepted that there was nothing they could do to stop it, just like Lupin had said. It was a wisdom I was only just starting to understand, a wisdom which said you had to pick your battles, and reasoned that loving someone, was loving them even through all the decisions you didn't agree with, and knowing which ones were worth sticking out the fight for, and for which ones you just had to bite your tongue, and, in my case put on a bridesmaid's dress and smile through the wedding vows. There would be worse days than this, I might as well enjoy it.

Wood and I had successfully avoided eye contact throughout the ceremony, despite standing pretty much opposite each other for its entirety. We had both stared, as though hypnotised, as the happy couple. The same couple who were now floating across the dance floor, wrapped in each other's arms. I had never seen them look so happy. Henry looked handsome in his suit, and Flora, cloaked in soft white lace, looked more beautiful than ever, which was saying something. I myself was decked out in a soft, full length forest green dress, with a v-neckline. The material caught up around my feet, and splayed out on the floor behind me. It was the nicest thing I'd ever owned.

I was interrupted from my contemplation by a tap on my shoulder. I spun round startled, almost knocking the champagne glass Wood was offering me out of his hands.

"Peace offering?" I said, taking it from him, trying to keep my voice calm.

"You should really be the one making a peace offering to me." He said, "After the way you behaved."

I got the impression he wasn't really angry, but I still felt bad. "I know" I told him, "I am sorry for shouting at you. I was just in a bad mood."

"I figured" he said, relaxing slightly, "but I forgive you, let's just be friends."

Just be friends. It was what I had been suggesting from the off, so why did it seem like such a horrible idea now. But, however I felt about the matter, the facts were these, he had a girlfriend, and that wasn't me. And no amount of wishful thinking was going to change that.

"How about a dance?" he said, more to fill the silence than anything. I wasn't sure how I felt about dancing with Wood in my current position, but I could hardly say no. Nodding, I followed him to the corner of the dancefloor.

We shuffled about awkwardly, it felt strange to be awkward with Wood. It felt like we were so far past that point, but here we were, shifting about stiffly, our arms barely touching and we swayed slightly to the music.

"So, Rose couldn't make it then?" I asked uncomfortably after a couple of minutes.

"What? Rose Parker? Oh God, we broke up ages ago."

That I had not been expecting, but I tried to stay cool. "Oh, when?"

Wood smiled slightly down at me, "About a week after we started going out, if you could call it going out. It would never have worked, she didn't like Quidditch."

A week after they had started going out. The full extent and scope of the last few weeks hit me with an unprecedented force. Without even stopping to excuse myself I dropped Wood's arms and ran from the dance floor.

I crashed into Henry as I skidded round the corner.

"Woah!" he laughed,grabbing me by the shoulders, "not skipping out on us are you? We haven't even done the speeches yet."

"Wood broke up with Rose."

"Yeah, so."

"So why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you knew. Everyone knew."
"I didn't! So does that mean…?"

"Yes. That's what Flora's been trying to tell you, heck, that's what Wood has been trying to tell you for the last few weeks, before you went all crazy on him."

I was now utterly dazed. "Un huh" I said, comprehension beginning to dawn, "So should I..?"
"Yes."

"You're sure."

"YES! And about time too."

I turned away, for doubling back to give Henry a hug. "Ok. Thank you."

"Good luck!"

I dashed off again, in search of Wood, my heart pounding in my ears. I found him again wandering round just outside the tent.

"There you are!" he exclaimed as he spotted me, "my dancing wasn't that bad,was it?"

"I'm an idiot!" I blurted back, bluntly.

"From time to time." He agreed, but he was starting to smile.

"I didn't know you were broken up. And I just assumed…I'm an idiot."

"Yep"

We were closer together now, facing each other, scarcely a foot between us. "You have to say it first" I gushed, "I can't. Not without being sure. Sorry."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Say what first?" He looked at me puzzled.

That look of puzzlement nearly tore me apart, but I tried not to let it show. I had been wrong, or rather, I had been right all along. Trying to keep my expression blank, I turned away.

"Sorry" I said, "mixed signals." I headed back towards the tent, trying not to let my disappointment falter my step.

"Wait" Wood called out behind me. "It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact I'm madly in love with you, would it?"

A furious smile broke out on my face. I turned, back, half laughing, half fuming. "That, was NOT funny!" I shouted at him as I stormed back towards him.

"Oh please" Wood grinned, and any anger I had disappeared, "You totally deserved that, all that hell you put me through recently."

He was right, it was the least I deserved. I just stood there laughing, "You mean it? You really mean it?"

"Hmm," he said, "how to put this in terms that even Elizabeth Alvic will understand. I love you more than…Quidditch. There, more than Quidditch. What do you have to say to that?"

"I, I don't know. I think I am literally speechless."

"Might I suggest, you saying you love me too? You're kind of keeping me in suspense here!"

"Sorry!" in the heat of the moment I forgotten what I had come over to say, "I love you. Of course I love you, even an idiot could see that."

"Who you calling an idiot?"

"I think we are both idiots."

"Agreed."

And then we didn't speak after that because his lips were on mine, and for the first time I was kissing him without feeling competitive, or shocked or freaked out. I was, absolutely, and completely contented.