Epilogue

There was a better turnout than Draco originally thought there would be. The salty sea wind whipped his hair as he gazed out over his two hundred guests, or thereabouts, sitting at tables decorated with lavender tablecloths and bouquets of flowers in silver vases. Hermione wanted lavender to be one of the wedding colors, as well as white. He let her do all of the color planning. Well, all of the planning, in fact. They agreed on that after Draco presented Hermione with a ring after graduating Hogwarts just two months ago, just as she wanted.

"There you are," he heard and turn to see his beautiful bride, wearing a strapless wedding dress that hugged her to her thighs and then draped out to the ground. Her hair was tied up in an elegant fashion, much like she had it for the Gold and Green Ball. Yes, he noticed that. "What are you doing up on this hill?" she asked.

"I just wanted a good view of everyone. I can't believe everyone we invited came, including my parents."

"Do you think your parents wouldn't want to come to their only child's wedding?"

"I thought just my mother was going to show up. I think she just dragged my father along. He was never a fan of us, as he has made very clear over the past year and few months since we confronted them."

She took hold of his arm and leaned against him. "But it was worth it."

"It was."

They watched their guests having a grand time in the garden near the cottage Hermione stayed at while she was in hiding the year before. She wanted the wedding there, on the beach, and the reception in the garden.

"Hermione, do you really want to live here?" he asked.

"I do. You know that. It's far away from anyone, and I love the beach." She looked up at him. "I thought you agreed to it."

"I'm not saying that I don't want to live here—I want to be wherever you are—it's just, this is the place you were living while hunting horcruxes."

"I know. That memory will always be there, but we can create new ones. We can raise a family here."

His heart jumped. They've talked about children before, but it was just talking and fantasizing. Now that they're actually married, it seems more real. "How many did you say you wanted?"

"At lease two, so they can have someone to play with. And preferably, they will be a boy and a girl, but you can't control that."

"I'm glad that you're not one of those women who wants a dozen children."

"Who says that I don't?"

His whole system pulsed in alarm. "What?!"

"Hey, lovebirds, get down here!"

Draco jolted out of that horrifying thought when Annabelle shouted up at them from the dance floor down the hill. She floated up to them, looking as pretty as ever, glowing blue and in her usual dress. She smiled radiantly at them.

"What are the two of you doing up here? You should be down there, enjoying your guests and dancing as newlyweds."

"We just wanted to step away from the chaos for a few minutes," Hermione said.

"You both will have your alone time after the reception is through and all the guests have left." She winked.

"Alright, alright, we'll go," Hermione said, laughing.

"Hold on a minute," Draco said in seriousness. "Annabelle, I just want to thank you again for everything. All of this happened because of you. If you hadn't told me about your vision, who knows where I would be right now?" He held Hermione close. "Where we would be."

"You would probably be with Hermione anyway. Remember I said you could have fallen in love with her at a later time?"

He nodded, recalling that. "In any case, thank you."

Both he and Hermione saw tears gather in in their ghost best friend's eyes. "You are both very welcome. Honestly, I'm tickled that it came to this. I saw my vision one thousand years ago, and I waited and finally saw it play out, from your arguments, to Draco protecting you, Hermione, then to your first kiss to defeating the Dark Lord, and to now. I'm honored, really."

"One thousand years ago to now," Hermione enthused. "It's amazing."

Something stood out in Draco's mind. "Hold on, you saw our first kiss?"

"That surprises you? Yes, I saw you steal a kiss from Hermione while you thought she was still unconscious in the hospital wing. I saw it all. Well, most of it. You saving her life and the horcruxes were left out. I think that was left up to you, the same as after my vision ended. Now, you two are here, married! It's incredible!"

"It is," Draco said and tightened his hold around his new wife's shoulders.

"You two are so adorable. Now, you both should get down there and have your first dance as husband and wife."

She floated on down to the dance floor and met Ron there. The two have become very close shortly after Draco and Hermione talked with Draco's parents. Now, they are a couple. Harry danced with Ginny Weasley near them. Those two are a couple as well and are talking about getting married. Draco knows this because the three of them were able to move on from the past and get along. They're not true friends yet, that will happen over time. Maybe after Draco and Hermione have a couple of children. That may be the time his father fully accepts them.

"Let's go, Draco," Hermione said and they held hands as they stepped down the hill, stepping into their new life, stemmed from a romance that was predicted one thousand years ago. It was all meant to be.

THE END

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