Last Chapter…

Ron got to the door and opened it. Then he looked down to see Luna Lupin in a tank top and leather pants lugging a HUGE duffle bag. She looked up and grinned, her four front teeth missing. "Hi, Ron!" the little girl shrieked, jumping at him.

Ron managed to catch her… then stared in astonishment at her blue streaked hair. "Oh, your sister's gonna LOVE this," he muttered, placing the girl on her feet.

"Ron? Who's there?" Hermione called. Ron swallowed and went to answer, but Luna was skipping towards the doorway. Ron covered his ears and waited for the explosion.

Before he could move, another labored knock at the door startled him. He took his hands off of his ears to answer it.

"Hello, Ron," smiled JC from behind a mountain of bags, his face, hands, and legs the only things showing.

"Uh… Hiya, JC. Nice to see you again. Need some help?"

"No, no, I can handle ze bags… if you show me where to place zem?" JC said in a slightly strained voice.

"Oh, right. Here-"

"WHAT THE HELL DID SHE DO TO YOU!?"

The shriek Ron had been waiting for came so unexpectedly that JC dropped all his baggage… on his foot.

"OW! Vous fils puant d'un porc!"

Ron stifled a laugh… he had heard that phrase enough in their seventh year to know the basics of what it meant… and shoved the baggage to one side of the entryway. With enough room to walk now, he made his way to the kitchen, where Hermione had Luna standing on top of the table and was fingering her electric blue and platinum sliver locks.

"DAD!" Hermione wasn't stupid… in fact, the phrase was slightly oxymoronic… and she knew that Remus would stand on her opinion.

Unfortunately, her mother got there first.

"Oh, DARLING… Remus, look, it's our baby… oh, and she's so CUTE! I love the way you look, sweetheart!…"

Behind Ally, Hermione was making a face of disbelief at Remus, who was shaking his head.

"Daddy, please tell me you're not…."

Remus circled the ecstatic mother and daughter and came around to his other daughter, practically shaking, torn between laughter and outrage.

"I'll spell the streaks away after your mother stops obsessing, darling," Remus soothed his middle child. Hermione calmed down a bit then.

Ron got the 'all safe' eyebrow from Remus ( something perfected in the past few years) and came in, encircling his fiancée in a hug.

"Just think, love…" Ron said with a wicked smile, "your mother could have dyed YOUR hair blue!"

Hermione shuddered. "Honestly, Ron! Did you have to say that! I can only IMAGINE what Perseph- JC!" She ran to the door.

"Huh?" Ron said, confused, before following the bushy hair to JC standing in the doorway, laughing.

"Il est bon de voir vous, Hermione." ("It's good to see you, Hermione.")

"Il est bon de vous voir, aussi, Jean Claude. Comment est tout en Afrique?" ("It's good to see you, too, Jean Claude. How's everything in Africa?")

"Il serait plus mauvais sans vos soeurs. Elles me maintiennent constamment amusé."  ("It would be worse without your sisters. They keep me constantly entertained.")

Hermione laughed, as did her father. Ron was lost.

As Hermione explained what had transpired to Ron, Remus casually flicked his wand at his youngest, turning her locks back to their usual silvery sheen. Ally noticed, obviously, but kept her silence. She knew that Remus usually gave her a free hand with the girls. But when he did step in, it was always for the better.

~*~

Sephie Apparated onto the grounds of the Lupin estate, a smile on her face. It was good to be home. She strode up the wide drive with a spring in her step, whistling. As she rounded the bend, a sight leapt to her eyes that made her immediately stop whistling and slow considerably. It was too late, however.

George Weasley turned around to see who was whistling and was also standing stock still, staring.

"Hello, George," she said, trying to sound light. She failed.

"Hello, Seph." George didn't even bother to try sounding nonchalant. His voice was full of the pains and anxieties he'd felt over the past 7 years. She quickly sidestepped him and went up to the house. With a pained look, he followed her.   

Neither said a word as they approached the house. It was pointless to ask what either was doing there; that much was obvious. It was equally pointless to try and explain the 7 years of avoidance on both counts. So, they kept their silence, and George hung back as Sephie entered the house. He waited outside for a few moments, then did the same. 

~*~

About 8 hours later, Hermione bade her sister goodnight and sat down wearily next to Ron, who had just come back from settling George in at the Burrow. She sighed.

"We knew this was going to happen, Hermione," Ron said softly. She took his hand.

"I know we did… but somehow… I-"

"-Expected them to hit it off again," finished Ron.

"Exactly." She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"You never know. Maybe they will."

"Yes. Maybe." 

Down the hall, the telephone was ringing… something Hermione had insisted upon, saying it was faster that owl or fire communication.

She rose to her feet reluctantly and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hi, Hermione, did I disturb you?"

"Hello, Harry… no, not at all! How are you?" At Harry's name, Ron had come to share the receiver.

"I'm fine. How are you and Ron?"

Ron answered. "We're smashing, Harry… how's Mariah?"

"Hullo, Ron… Mariah's fine. She's out in the city now, buying some last minute things before we head back."

"Don't YOU have something to buy?" Hermione hinted heavily.

Harry laughed. "Don't push it, Hermione. We're working on it."

"Oi, Harry, you better work faster," Ron said, adding, "How's Janelle?"

"Janelle is doing wonderfully. I'm at her house right now, in fact."

In the background they heard her shouting, "Tell them I'll be there if I have to swim there!"

Ron and Hermione laughed. Hermione managed eventually, "Tell Janelle I'm sure that won't be necessary."

"I will."

They filled Harry in on what had happened that day, and they could practically see him shaking his head as he answered, "God help you two. Good Night."

"Good night, Harry." Hermione hung up the receiver with a click.

~*~

Harry looked at the receiver in New York for a moment before shaking his head and hanging up.

"Harry?"

He looked up to see his long time girlfriend Mariah Jordan standing in the doorway, laden with bags and packages. He raised an eyebrow at that, and she blushed.

"I went to buy their wedding present, then I saw something for Luna… then I HAD to buy something for the three Weasley grandchildren… and then new babies coming… and then, of course, I had to buy something for dear Molly… and then…"

Harry held up a hand. "You had to buy something for everyone. I know." He smiled. "That's one of the things I love about you. Now, what did you get me? Not that you wouldn't suffice…"

She slapped his hand away. "Stop that. We have things to do, Mr. Potter."

Harry pouted. "I know."

She rolled her eyes and moved past him, efficiently pointing things from bags to her trunk, which was almost full. By the end, she had resorted to shrinking things first. 

"Do you know the meaning of 'pack conservatively?'" Harry asked with a pointed look at his own small bag.

She stuck her tongue out and continued packing.

~*~

Draco got home from work and called his wife's name, dropping his cloak on a chair by the door.

"In here, Draco!" she called cheerfully from the living room. She was rapidly spelling the walls color after color, shaking her head and trying to choose.

"Try hunter green and lilac, love," he suggested, leaning casually on the doorframe.

She did, started to shake her head, then smiled. "I've got it!" She swiftly changed the walls to a light crème, with green and lilac accents. "Perfect!"

"Perfect," Draco agreed.

Lexi came forward for her kiss. "How was your day?" she asked, linking arms with him as they began their daily walk through the house. Draco loved to see the changes she had made, and Lexi delighted in pointing them out.

"It was decent. I nabbed a few more Death Eaters that were still floating about… no big deal," he shrugged. She laughed and steered him toward their room. It had been under construction, and they had been sleeping in another room for several weeks now.

"I finished this today," she said with a smile.

Draco entered, very curious. She hadn't let him in at all since they had started the tear down. The master bedroom, when lived in by his parents, was painted a deep red, with heavy draperies over the windows. The first thing that struck his eye was the brightness of the room. As he got inside, he realized this was partially due to the light colored walls, but mostly attributed to the flung open windows and their white curtains. The deep red was still present in the sheets of the bed, but the rest was either white or crème.

"You like?"

He smiled and gave his wife of almost 10 years a kiss.

"I like it very much. Now, what about dinner? I'm starving!"

Lexi rolled her eyes at that comment. "My parents are coming over for dinner," she informed him over her shoulder as she made her way down the hall.

Draco hurried to keep up with her, his long strides helping him catch up. "Really? Why?" He couldn't keep a note of disappointment from his voice.

"They want to see the house."

Draco thought it was amusing that Lexi referred to their massive estate as 'the house.'

They made small talk about their day as they got ready for dinner, as they always did, and hurried downstairs as the maid announced her parents.

~*~

"Jeremy! Jeremy, we're going to be late!" Ginny cried out impatiently, tapping her foot. Jeremy's tousled head stuck out of the living room where he was 'entertaining' (wrestling) with little 6-year-old Byron, Fred and Angelina's son. Angelina was currently in labor for the 2nd time, but this time it was twins. So… Ginny and Jeremy had volunteered to watch Byron. Then again, they hadn't known that her labor would be on the night of the rehearsal dinner.

"Gin, we're in the middle of a match," Jeremy explained as Byron leapt on his back.

"Byron, Aunt Ginny and Uncle Jeremy have to go up to Aunt Hermione's house for the rehearsal dinner. Are you ready to go?" Ginny asked the small boy with his tanned skin and bright red Weasley hair.

"Yep! I win by forfeit!" Byron cried mischievously.

"Hey! No Fa-" Jeremy began, before Ginny threw his cloak over his head. They all laughed.

"We're going to drop you at Grandma's, Byron. She's going to have all the kids there. K?" Jeremy asked the boy fondly.

"K!"

~Thank God,~ Ginny breathed as Jeremy sent Byron through the Floo. A minute later her mother's head popped into view.

"Got him, Ginny. You two have fun," Mrs. Weasley said with a wink.

"Ok, Mum, we will," Ginny said, pointedly ignoring the insinuation. The link was broken, and Ginny turned to her fiancé, who looked ready to burst out laughing.

"What, does she think we're going to shag in the vestibule of the church!?" Ginny fumed, exasperated. At that, Jeremy DID start to laugh… hysterically.

"Oh, shut up, you!" She moved to punch his shoulder, and in a swift move he had her wrist in hand and was holding her tightly.

"Let's get going, love," he said. "We're going to be late!" His last tone mocking her, he efficiently Apparated them both to the church.

~*~

Hermione sighed, running her hands through her hair. This rehearsal dinner was hell on earth. She could only pray that the wedding went as well as the rehearsal itself had gone. Now that they were at dinner, Sephie was flirting with every male in sight, INCLUDING JC (who sits on the other side of the fence), George was stubbornly ignoring her, Fred was running around screaming at the top of his lungs about his twins, and there was a knock at the door.

"That will be someone, I'm sure," Hermione said, quickly rising. She knew no one else had heard the knock above the noise… but Ron followed her out anyway.

Hermione opened the door… and was glomped by Mariah.

"Ohmygod, Hermione, I'msosorrywearesolate, thestupidcheckwizardsareonhighalertin NYafterthatterroristthing,andtheyheldusuntiltheyrecognizedHarry…"

"Mariah… breathe… it's fine. You're here!" Hermione hugged her. Relieved, Mariah hugged back.

Over Mariah's shoulder, Hermione spotted a pair of glittering green eyes behind round glasses.

"Harry!" She released Mariah and got swept up by Harry.

"Harry! Oh, how have you been!?" Hermione exclaimed as he gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek and let her go.

"I'm wonderful. No need to ask how you are… you always reveled in chaos," he joked, waving a vague hand in the direction of the roaring kitchen. "Hey, Ron!"

"I was wondering when you'd get to me," Ron grinned, coming forward for a handshake and a pat on the back.

"Now we're only waiting for…"

Suddenly there was a screech from the kitchen, and a red orange blur sped past screaming, "SHE HAD THEM, SHE HAD THEM!!!!!"

"…Angelina to have the twins," Hermione finished weakly.